Fiji show of force and Aussies out

Reports from Fiji say that the nation’s Fiji’s military will this morning take over key strategic points across Suva in a major show of force hours after an Australian army helicopter crashed nearby amid fears of an imminent coup.

The impromptu flexing of military muscle, described as an “exercise”, was to include troops in full battle dress and artillery shells were expected to be fired over the entrance of Suva harbour and toward islands nearby – including one occupied by convicted traitor George Speight.

The New Zealand Government was last night playing down the exercise, which the Fijian military said was designed to train troops to repel any foreign intervention.

The military has mobilised 3000 reservists in anticipation of foreign intervention and the exercise comes as Fiji edges closer to its third military coup in 20 years.

Not long before the military show of force, Australia’s defence force confirmed that one of its soldiers had been killed and another was missing after a Black Hawk helicopter crashed as it tried to land on a navy transport ship south of Fiji.

Of the 10 troops aboard the helicopter, a further seven were injured but none seriously, Defence Force head Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston told reporters in Canberra.

The helicopter had been stationed on board HMAS Kanimbla.

Fiji’s military activity comes less than a day after New Zealand Government-brokered talks between Fiji’s military chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama and the nation’s Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase ended in Wellington without resolution.

Adding to the tension, Fiji’s Australian Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes has opted not to return to Suva, saying he has taken a one-month holiday as he has received “real and credible” threats.

Bainimarama arrived late to yesterday’s Wellington meeting and left after two hours to head back to Suva, where he was expected to arrive shortly before the midnight local time start of the exercise, which was announced yesterday afternoon by his high-profile spokesman, Major Neumi Leweni.

Leweni has expressed strong concern about a Pacific Forum foreign ministers emergency meeting in Sydney tomorrow, with the military fearing a Solomon Islands-style intervention, with its concerns focused on the three Australian warships that Canberra says are nearby ready to evacuate Australians in the event of a coup.

Australia updated its travel warning for Fiji late on Wednesday evacuating family members of embassy staff from Suva saying in the advisory, “We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Fiji at this time due to the increasingly volatile security situation.”

“There are ongoing tensions between the Fiji Government and the Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and the possibility of a military coup against the Government.”

”The security situation could deteriorate without warning.”  “If you are in the capital Suva and concerned for your safety, you should consider leaving.”

On 29 November, the Australian Government authorised the voluntary departure to Australia of dependants of Australian High Commission staff.

Report by The Mole