2000 Fijian coup d'état
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/123.100.123.33|123.100.123.33]] ([[User talk:123.100.123.33|talk]]) to last version by Balloonguy
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{{History and Politics of Fiji}}
The '''Fiji [[Coup d'état|coup]] of 2000''' was a complicated affair involving a civilian [[putsch]] by hardline [[Fijian people|Fijian]] nationalists against the elected government of [[List of Prime Ministers of Fiji|Prime Minister]] [[Mahendra Chaudhry]] on [[19 May]] [[2000]], the attempt by [[List of Presidents of Fiji|President]] [[Ratu]] Sir [[Kamisese Mara]] to assert executive authority on [[27 May]], and his own resignation, possibly forced, on [[29 May]]. An interim government headed by [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] [[Frank Bainimarama]] was set up, and handed power over to an interim administration headed by [[Josefa Iloilo|Ratu Josefa Iloilo]], as President, on [[13 July]].
== The overthrow of the Chaudhry government ==
[[Fiji election of 1999|Parliamentary elections]] in May [[1999]] had resulted in a decisive victory for the [[Peoples Coalition (Fiji)|Peoples Coalition]], a multiracial grouping that was dominated by the predominantly [[Indo-Fijian]] [[Fiji Labour Party|Labour Party]] but which also included three parties supported mainly by indigenous Fijians. Mahendra Chaudhry had become the country's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister.
The election result and Chaudhry's subsequent appointment as Prime Minister had angered hardline Fijian nationalists. His government's hints at land reform had caused further alarm, notwithstanding that indigenous ownership of five sixths of Fiji's land is guaranteed by a [[Constitution of Fiji|constitutional clause]] which cannot be amended without the agreement of 9 of the 14 [[Senate (Fiji)|Senators]] appointed by the [[Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)|Great Council of Chiefs]]. When a group led by [[George Speight]], a businessman who had been declared bankrupt following the cancellation of several contracts by the Chaudhry government, entered [[Parliament (Fiji)|Parliament]] buildings on [[19 May]] 2000, disaffected elements of the Fijian population rallied to his side. For 56 days, Prime Minister Chaudhry and most of his cabinet, along with many Parliamentarians and their staff, were held as hostages while Speight attempted to negotiate with the President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who denounced the coup and declared a state of emergency, and with the military administration which took office on [[29 May]].
On [[26 May]], fifteen soldiers and two officers defected to the rebels, and [[27 May|the following day]], gunfire was exchanged. In a move which constitutional experts have described as of questionable constitutionality, Mara dismissed the government from office (for being "unable to act,") prorogued Parliament for six months, and assumed executive authority himself. In doing so, he claimed to be following the advice of the [[Chief Justice (Fiji)|Chief Justice]], [[Timoci Tuivaga|Sir Timoci Tuivaga]], but he refused to abrogate the constitution, which Tuivaga also advised. Mara admitted that his actions were at the very edge of constitutionality, but said he believed they were within that boundary and necessary.
== Alleged motives for the coup ==
Speight's claims to be a Fijian nationalist and a champion of indigenous rights attracted support from certain elements of the Fijian population who were angered by the results of the 1999 election, which had swept away a government dominated by ethnic Fijians and brought to power a [[multiracial]] government led by Mahendra Chaudhry, who became Fiji's first-ever Indo-Fijian Prime Minister. Hints that the Chaudhry government might institute some form of [[land reform]] also generated considerable resentment among sections of the indigenous population, despite [[Constitution]]al guarantees of ethnic Fijian land ownership. Speight thus found sizeable number of sympathizers when he launched his putsch on [[19 May]].
Speight proceeded to appoint a "[[Cabinet (Fiji)|Cabinet]]". He initially named himself President, before appointing [[Jope Seniloli|Ratu Jope Seniloli]] to the post two days later. [[Timoci Silatolu|Ratu Timoci Silatolu]] was appointed Prime Minister, downgraded to Deputy Prime Minister two days later, when Speight himself was named to the post by Seniloli. Other appointments included [[Naiqama Lalabalavu|Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu]] as [[Minister for Fijian Affairs]], [[Rakuita Vakalalabure|Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure]] as Minister for Home Affairs, and [[Simione Kaitani]], [[Isireli Leweniqila]], [[Levani Tonitonivanua]], [[Berenado Vunibobo]], [[Tu'uakitau Cokanauto|Ratu Tu'uakitau Cokanauto]] and [[Inoke Kubuabola|Ratu Inoke Kubuabola]] as Ministers without portfolio. Some, including Seniloli, Lalabalavu, and Vakalalabure have since been convicted of coup-related offences, but whether all of the others had consented to their ministerial "appointments" as announced by Speight is not known.
Claims have been made that Fijian nationalism may have been nothing more than a political ploy to attract supporters to what was, in reality, a personal grab for money and power on the part of Speight and his co-conspirators. During the [[1990s]], Speight had built up a modestly successful marketing business, but many contracts were lost after the Chaudhry government came to power in 1999. Charging corruption, Chaudhry revoked the contracts of two marketing firms chaired by Speight that were involved in the country's lucrative timber trade. By the time of the coup he was allegedly bankrupt. Several of his accomplices were undischarged bankrupts as well. [[Conspiracy theory|Conspiracy theories]] hold that the real motive for the coup was to loot the treasury. [[Isireli Vuibau|Ratu Isireli Vuibau]], the deposed Assistant Minister for Fijian Affairs, declared on [[31 August]] 2000, after the rebellion was over, that many of those involved with Speight had links to the [[Timber Resource Group]], comprising Fijian politicians who were investors in Speight's [[Timber Resource Management Limited]] company, which had interests in [[pine]], [[mahogany]], and [[hardwood]]. He said these politicians had joined Speight against the government when their proposals were rejected. ''"Indigenous Fijians were used but little did they know that the coup was for a little group here and abroad,"'' Ratu Vuibau said.
Mahendra Chaudhry has supported the view that ethnic nationalism was only a mask to gain the support of nationalist Fijians, and that the true purpose was to loot the treasury. He has alleged in court papers and on [http://www.flp.org.fj/N030123.htm his party's website] that some of those who helped to finance and support certain aspects of the coup, such as the [[Fiji coup of 2000:Mutinies|mutiny]] that took place at the [[Sukunaivalu Barracks]] in [[Labasa]] on [[7 July]] 2000, were, in fact, Indo-Fijians. Another view sees the rebellion as one supported by a very disparate group of individuals, all for diverse reasons for their own. It has been alleged that the coup was supported by the Methodist church.<ref>[http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?id=18901&op=read Fiji military dismisses GCC and Methodist support for reconciliation bill], Radio New Zealand International, August 25, 2005</ref>
== The resignation of President Mara ==
Two days later, on [[29 May]] 2000, Mara resigned under circumstances of debate. Following orchestrated threats to his life and his family, he was evacuated to a naval vessel where a delegation including [[Military of Fiji|Armed Forces]] Commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Police Commissioner [[Isikia Savua]], Great Council of Chiefs [[List of Chairmen of the Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)|Chairman]] and former Prime Minister [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] (who had instigated [[Fiji coups of 1987|two earlier coups]] in [[1987]]), and his own son-in-law, [[Epeli Ganilau|Ratu Epeli Ganilau]] (a former Army commander) met him and pressed him to abrogate the constitution. He refused, and resigned.
Whether or not Mara's resignation was forced remains (as of [[2005]]) the subject of a police investigation. Some, including Mahendra Chaudhry, believe that he was forcibly deposed. However, Mara's daughter [[Ateca Ganilau|Adi Ateca Ganilau]], who is married to Ratu Ganilau, maintains that her father chose to resign and subsequently refused to be reinstated because he was upset at the abrogation of the constitution.
Almost a year later, Mara publicly accused the police chief, Colonel Isikia Savua and former Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, of instigating the coup. In an interview with [[Close-Up television program (Fiji)|Close-Up]] on [[Fiji Television]] on [[29 April]] [[2001]], he claimed that Speight (who was then in custody and has since been convicted of treason) was only a front. Mara said that he had confronted Savua and Rabuka two days after the coup about their possible involvement. "I could see it in their faces," said Mara, emphatically rejecting their denials. Mara told the programme that within half an hour of Speight's forcible occupation of the Parliament, Rabuka had telephoned [[Government House (Fiji)|Government House]] (the official residence of the President) to offer to form a government.
Mara said that he was shocked to learn that the [[Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (Fiji)|Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit]] of the [[Army of Fiji|Army]] had been involved in the coup. He alleged that they took George Speight to Parliament, and that their senior officers supplied them with weapons, blankets, and food. Mara also declared that the Counter Revolutionary Warfare officers who joined Speight's coup had trained on a farm owned by Rabuka.
== The Interim Military Government ==
Commodore Bainimarama announced on radio and television that he had taken over the government, and declared [[martial law]] at 6pm. He abrogated the constitution on [[30 May]], and proceeded to appoint an interim government. He initially nominated [[Epeli Nailatikau|Ratu Epeli Nailatikau]] (a son-in-law of Mara's and the husband of [[Koila Nailatikau|Adi Koila Nailatikau]], who was one of Speight's hostages) as Prime Minister, but withdrew the nomination the next day. It was not until [[4 July]] that he actually appointed a Prime Minister, [[Laisenia Qarase]] (who remained in office until he was ousted from power by another coup in December [[2006]]). Rebels, still holding hostages, staged a number of incidents around the country, cutting off [[Suva]]'s power supply on [[6 July]], and overrunning an army base on [[Vanua Levu]] Island and exchanging fire with the military in Suva [[7 July|the next day]].
== The Iloilo administration ==
The interim military government signed an accord with Speight on [[9 July]], granting him immunity from prosecution and a review of the constitution in return for the release of the hostages. Nine were freed on [[12 July]], and the others, including Chaudhry, on the [[13 July|13th]]. Ratu Josefa Iloilo was sworn in as President the same day, with Ratu Jope Seniloli as [[List of Vice-Presidents of Fiji|Vice-President]]. The appointment of Seniloli, a supporter of the rebels who had sworn himself in as President at Speight's behest, was seen as a gesture of appeasement to the rebel forces.
On [[27 July]], Speight was arrested along with 369 supporters. The government reneged on the accord granting Speight immunity from prosecution, with Bainimarama saying that the military had signed it "under duress."
== The Queen Elizabeth Barracks mutiny ==
{{main|Fiji coup of 2000:Mutinies}}
A second attempt by hardline elements to seize power took place on [[2 November]] that year, when rebel soldiers mutinied at Suva's [[Queen Elizabeth Barracks (Suva)|Queen Elizabeth Barracks]]. The mutiny resulted in the death of four loyal soldiers. Four rebels were subsequently beaten to death after the mutiny had been quelled. Bainimarama accused Rabuka of involvement, but as of April 2005, Rabuka has not been charged.
== Aftermath ==
{{main|Fiji coup of 2000:Aftermath|Fiji coup of 2000:Investigations|Fiji coup of 2000:Trials}}
On [[November 15]], the [[High Court (Fiji)|High Court]] declared that the interim government was illegal. Mara remained the lawful President; Parliament had not been dissolved but only suspended, and should now be reconvened, and by implication, Chaudhry remained the lawful Prime Minister. As Mara had not been performing his duties, however, Iloilo had been rightly exercising the prerogatives of the office in his place. Mara subsequently resigned officially, with his resignation backdated to [[29 May]]. The Qarase government appealed the court ruling; on [[1 March]] 2001, the [[Court of Appeal (Fiji)|Court of Appeal]] confirmed the High Court decision reinstating the constitution. The government accepted the decision.
An estimated 7500 jobs were lost because of the coup.
{{Fiji coup of 2000}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}