Local Army Wary Of Australians
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday November 30, 2006
WITHIN hours of the Australian Army's helicopter crash, the Fijian military was citing it as proof of the need to defend the nation against a "foreign incursion".
Fiji was on edge late last night. The military deployed its troops, ready for a "three-hour exercise" to lock down the capital, Suva, but it endured some scorn from assembled journalists. "I think this is the start of a coup," one local reporter said. The military's spokesman, Major Neumi Leweni, was asked at a news conference whether this was "a coup d'etat in disguise". "No, no," he replied. Major Leweni said it was purely to ensure the military was ready should there be any foreign incursion. Asked about the Black Hawk crash, he said the Fijian military was not involved at this stage because it was uncertain where the crash occurred, but he added it "just confirms that there are other forces out there and that is exactly why we are doing this exercise".But what was the military preparing to defend the country against? Wouldn't Australian and New Zealand troops, if they came to Fiji, be only peacekeepers? "Well, that's your interpretation!" Major Leweni snapped. Word had got round that of 3000 troops called up, fewer than half had presented themselves. The rest seemed intent on being hard to find. Major Leweni directed media to one of the "key installations", the Suva Bowling Club, where they could photograph troops being deployed.Fiji's Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, and military commander, Frank Bainimarama, returned from New Zealand, where talks had failed to resolve the crisis.Troops on alert - Page 11
© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald