Te Karere Ipurangi
Fiji Coup Supplement - May 23, 2000
Who's the Real Coup Leader?
karere@maorinews.comI listened to parliament this afternoon as our parliamentarians condemned George Speight for leading the Fijian "civilian" coup. It turns out that he was only drafted in at short notice to act as the tekoteko. The real leader is Colonel Ilisoni Ligairi.These reports from http://www.fijilive.com :
"Colonel Ilisoni Ligairi, 60, is the former British SAS soldier behind the coup on Friday as reported exclusively by fijilive.com on Saturday.
Colonel Ligairi was in charge of the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (CRWU) based at army headquarters and has trained in Britain.
Seven members of the CRWU are in Parliament while the rest of the unit is at the army base.
Rabuka himself revealed to local media that the coup makers are listening to the 'old man' rather than Speight. It is now established that the old man is Ligairi who was brought in by Rabuka in 1987 to set up the unit."
They pulled a swifty on everyone didn't they. Had the whole world scurrying around for information about George. And it was a full blown military coup after all.
"An armed man described only as Commander Bill, who is apparently ranking second in the military chain of command at the Parliamentary Complex, has warned of bloodshed if anyone uses any force to try and rescue the MPs.
Commander Bill said they have a counter plan if force is used. "We have a counter plan and that is to kill all hostages before anybody can come in and take them. That’s our main counter plan for anybody who wants to invade."
Commander Bill claims that he had planned the coup and George Speight was called in two days before they were to strike. Commander Bill currently reports to Colonel Ilisoni Ligairi, 60, a former British SAS trainer."
The Fijian Great Council of Chiefs has also decided:
"The Great Council of Chiefs has unanimously decided to back the President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, in his actions to resolve the current political impasse.
The meeting at the Fiji Military Forces HQ in Suva started with an apology from coup leader Geroge Speight for his remarks against the chiefs.
Only one resolution was passed today, with the meeting continuing tomorrow to discuss Speight's actions and whether he will be liable for immunity and whether Mara will stay as President."
May 23, 2000. 8.00am
Comment
karere@maorinews.comForeign Affairs minister Phil Goff this morning claims the credit for working with Kofi Anan, Secretary General of the United Nations, to have a UN emissary sent to Fiji to help resolve the coup situation.
He can't resist the urge to meddle can he. Quite pathetic really, to watch his efforts to create a world statesman out of himself, from someone who has no background in geopolitics, and no understanding of other cultures. He never could resist a photo opportunity though, and now he's able to strut his stuff on the world stage.
His vanity and sanctimonious attitude will not win New Zealand any friends amongst the indigenous peoples of the world. Already some Fijians are expressing their opposition to his meddling.
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