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DE RUEHSV #0300/01 1511931
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 311931Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0091
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1703
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 1274
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1470
RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 0450
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0858
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000300 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2017 
TAGS: PGOV MARR ASEC CASC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI INTERIM GOVERNMENT LIFTS STATE OF EMERGENCY; 
ASSESSMENT TEAM SAYS ELECTION CAN BE HELD EARLY 2009 OR 
SOONER 
 
REF: SUVA 290 
 
Classified By: CDA Ted Mann per 1.4 (B,D) 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶1.  (C)   Interim PM Bainimarama announced May 31 that Fiji's 
State of Emergency would end, effective June 1.  In a meeting 
with diplomats, Deputy Commander Teleni confirmed that the 
RFMF would no longer detain or bring individuals to the 
military barracks for questioning.  NGOs and foreign missions 
(including the Embassy) welcomed the development, noting that 
they hope this is the first step toward a quick 
re-establishment of democracy in Fiji.  In a report sent to 
Pacific Island Forum countries June 1, the Forum's election 
assessment team stated that a parliamentary election in Fiji 
could be held within the 18-24 month timeframe recommended by 
the Forum's Eminent Persons Group.  End summary. 
 
Public Emergency Regulations Discontinued 
----------------------------------------- 
¶2.  (U)  In a speech May 31, interim PM Frank Bainimarama 
announced that the Public Emergency Regulations (PER) put in 
place after the December military coup had been discontinued, 
effective June 1.  Bainimarama defended his imposition (and 
multiple renewals) of the PER, insisting it "had a limited 
life span, was applied sparingly and...was within the scope 
of our constitution."  He expressed dismay that many in the 
international community had opposed the PER, stating they 
"failed to accept and recognize that the people of Fiji were 
enjoying peace and a virtually crime-free environment as a 
result of the increased security...Following the removal of 
the check points, there was an immediate surge in home 
invasions and burglaries."  Nevertheless, said Bainimarama, 
following a thorough assessment and taking into account the 
views of Fiji's security agencies, the interim government 
decided not to extend the regulations. 
 
Reminder of the Public Order Act 
-------------------------------- 
¶3.  (U)  Bainimarama emphasized that any person inciting 
violence and disobedience of law, inciting racial antagonism, 
maliciously fabricating or knowingly spreading false reports, 
or otherwise acting in a matter prejudicial to the peace and 
good order of Fiji would be investigated by the police and 
prosecuted under the long-standing Public Order Act.  He 
noted the joint Police/RFMF operations throughout Fiji and 
indicated these would continue. 
 
Teleni Tells Forum - No More Trips to Barracks; 
Military Won't Comment on Qarase's Status 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶4.  (C)  Peter Eafeare, the PNG High Commissioner to Fiji, 
told a group of diplomats June 1 that Deputy RFMF Commander 
Esela Teleni had informed the Pacific Island Forum-Fiji 
working group that, in light of the lifting of the State of 
Emergency, the military would cease taking people up to the 
army barracks for interrogation.  Teleni also said the RFMF 
would no longer "chase after" individuals involved in the 
many anti-coup blogs that have sprung up on the Internet. 
 
¶5.  (U)  The military has remained mum on how removal of the 
regulations affects the status of deposed PM Qarase, 
currently in internal exile on an isolated island in the Lau 
island group.  RFMF spokesperson Leweni told reporters the 
military has no comment to make at this time.  Qarase's 
lawyer, Tevita Fa, told reporters that he hopes Qarase will 
be able to travel to Suva by next week, now that the State of 
Emergency has ended. 
 
NGOs Hope for the Best 
---------------------- 
¶6.  (U)  Several NGOs issued statements welcoming the interim 
government's decision. Shamima Ali, head of the Fiji Women's 
Crisis Center, told reporters she hopes the move is the first 
step toward returning democracy to Fiji.  She said that she 
hopes this action will help stop human rights violations and 
end the military's practice of detaining dissidents. 
 
French Ambassador -  A Good Start; 
U.S. Embassy Issues Statement 
--------------------------------- 
 
 
SUVA 00000300  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  (C)  The French Ambassador to Fiji, Jean-Francois 
Bouffandeau, told us the decision to end the emergency 
regulations was a very positive development from the EU's 
perspective.  It would to be very difficult, he said, for the 
interim government to backtrack and reimpose a state of 
emergency.  The next big test, he said, will be how the 
interim government reacts to the report of the Pacific Island 
Forum's election assessment team.  (Note: the election team's 
assessment was sent to the Forum late June 1, see paragraph 9 
below.)  If the IG accepts an election timeframe consistent 
with that report, some of the EU assistance money previously 
allocated for Fiji but held up because of the coup should 
begin to flow once again. 
 
¶8.  (U)  In response to inquiries from news organizations in 
Fiji, the Embassy issued the following statement: 
"The U.S. Embassy is encouraged by the decision of the 
interim government in Fiji to lift the Public Emergency 
Regulations put in place following the military coup in 
December.  The United States hopes the move is the beginning 
of a concerted effort to end human rights abuses and quickly 
return Fiji to democracy, within the timeframe recommended by 
the Forum's Eminent Persons Group." 
 
PIF Assessment Team Says Elections Can be Held 
Within Two Years 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶9.  (C)  The team responsible for the technical assessment of 
the electoral process in Fiji forwarded its report to the 
Pacific Island Forum (PIF) countries late June 1.  We 
received a copy from the New Zealand High Commission.  The 
team concluded that "from a technical point of view, a 
parliamentary election in Fiji could be held in the first 
quarter of 2009.  However, if the (Fiji) Bureau of Statistics 
has additional resources to allow it to bring forward the 
release of provisional and final population figures from the 
census, the election could be held in November 2008." 
We understand the report will be made public June 7, after 
the Forum member countries (including Fiji) have had a chance 
to review it. 
 
Comment:  Election Timetable Remains the Key 
-------------------------------------------- 
¶10.  (C)  Comment:  The decision to remove the public 
emergency regulations is indeed a positive development. 
Nevertheless, we remain somewhat skeptical that the interim 
regime will tolerate real dissent or a possible strike action 
by public sector unions, threatened for the coming weeks.  It 
also remains to be seen how Bainimarama will react to the 
election timeframe suggested by the PIF election assessment 
team. 
 
 
 
MANN