No change to NZ and US policy on Fiji.
McCully, Clinton prod Fiji to return to democracy
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/mccully-clinton-prod-fiji-return-democracy-4177300
New Zealand and the United States have reiterated that Fiji’s military junta must take steps to return the country to democracy.
Prodding the regime won’t be good enough. I do not understand why the free world waits until blood is spilled on the streets of Fiji? Ending the nightmare now will avoid a costly and messy intervention later. There is absolutely no evidence that the regime intends to return the country to freedom and democracy. Eventually, the regime will be removed through up-risings of the people. But at this stage it can still be brought down without bloodshed, military intervention and thousands of refugees flogging to the shores of New Zealand and Australia. Actions that the international community needs to take urgently include:
1. Initiate prosecution against Aiyaz and Frank at the International Court of Justice
2. Notch up travel warnings to reflect the real risk of holidaying in an extremely unstable dictatorship
3. Sanction expatriate regime supporters such as Gates, Pryde ANZ etc and initiate prosecution for complicity in human rights violations
4. Freeze all overseas assets of the regime
5. Close HighComms and consulates
6. Move offices of regional organizations (Forum, SPC)
7. Terminate ongoing aid projects
8. Use diplomatic tools to engage with Asian countries still supporting the regime
These measures would cause the regime to self-implode rather quickly and end the suffering of Fiji’s people. The alternative is evident: The regime will entrench further, eventually resort to massive violence against any opposition (as every dictatorship has done in history) and produce a massive stream of refugees Australia and New Zealand has to deal with.
Act now!