Insiders: VRF arrests will not stop the resistance work

Bainimarama billboards

Unnamed accused at court yesterday. pic Fij Sun

Arrests may have been made but the fight's not over.

That's the word from insiders about the detainment of five men believed to have been part of the underground group, Viti Revolutionary Forces (VRF).

An inside source says those arrested are from an individual cell, and are not part of the bigger picture.

And they say the Fiji police has put the group on trial to save their own hides from the wrath of the illegal Prime Minister.

Our source says: "The core group and our arm is still very much active." 

One of VRF's first targets: Suva bus stop.

Sedition charges laid against five men accused of committing graffiti

Jagath Karunaratne

Five men charged with writing seditious words in public places have been named as Jagath Karunaratne, Mosese Bulitavu, Eroni Takape, Usaia Koroi and Waisale Daganayasi,.

The men are accused of committing the acts of graffiti between the 21st and 27th of August on billboards along the Nausori and Suva roads. 
 It's believed the billboards were those of the self-appointed prime minister, Voreqe Bainimarama.

 The case was heard in the Suva Magistrates Court this afternoon where it was claimed the men had seditious intentions to incite hatred and dissatisfaction against the regime.

Unnamed accused. pic Fiji Village

All five pleaded not guilty and asked for bail. Fiji Village says the court refused the request and the men have been remanded in custody to reappear in a week's time.

Bainimarama flits to China again while FEA chases funds to repay Chinese loans

The illegal PM is off again. And the illegal AG is to  stand in as PM while he is away. Sources within government say Frank Bainimarama's frequent visits to China are for health-checks and not official government business as often stated.

Sources within the regime also say letters currently being dished out to consumers about the increase in FEA security deposits is not for the benefit of FEA but to ensure the illegal government has enough to begin paying back Chinese loans, which have begun to be called in.

Poor tax payers are being forced to part with hard-earned dollars to pay back loans they did not agree with or had any knowledge of. The unelected government does not care whether those below the poverty line will be able to put food on the table as long as they get this money back and the Chinese get paid.

(Friday 14th October 2011, No:1911/MOI)  

PM LEAVES FOR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama left the country today to attend an International Telecommunications Union conference in Geneva, Switzerland.  

The conference in Geneva begins on October 24 and will conclude on October 26.
 
Before the meeting in Geneva, the Fijian Prime Minister will travel to China on an invitation from the Chinese Government through its embassy here in Suva.
 
According to the Prime Minister’s office, Commodore Bainimarama will be visiting the provinces of Shanghai and Guangdong in China.
 
In his absence, Attorney General Mr Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum will act as the Prime Minister.
 
Commodore Bainimarama will return on Monday, October 31.

Bainimarama and family celebrate Fiji Independence at Warwick Hotel

The photos are a tad blurry but the info from the Aussie tourist who took them paints a pretty vivid picture.


Our visitor was at the prestigious Warwick Hotel, between Sigatoka and Nadi, this week the same time as the unelected prime minister and wife, Mary, and family.


The resourceful informant managed to sneak a couple of pictures of Bainimarama and to chat up a bodyguard who let slip that the illegal leader and clan had booked five deluxe pool-side rooms from Thursday the 6th to Monday, October the 10th.

The bodyguard revealed they had been told to treat the family like Kings and Queens: private tables and buffets set up just for them, with their own 'VIP' butler while other bodyguards were posted all over the Warwick under the guise of hotel workers.

But our Aussie tourist was less than impressed with what they said was some of the Bainimarama's 'classy behaviour' while living it up at the hotel, including seeing Fiji's self-appointed leader eat with his fingers.

According to our visitor, Lady Mary was also seen passed out in a chair in the Hibiscus Lounge "after yet another hard night on the turps", the evening of the Rugby World Cup game between Australia versus South Africa.

Soldier son Meli was also spotted later that night hanging out at the night club bar wearing his sunglasses at the top of his head, over his hoodie, in what our visitor said was a pretty tacky look. 

Madigan's ruling on accused Air Pacific 'hacker'

Accused Air Pacific whistleblower bailed

Air Pacific pilot Shalend Scott has been released on bail by the Lautoka High Court after appealing his remand conditions.

The Court released him today saying it did not find him to be a flight risk. Justice Paul Madigan also said Scott may have been charged with the wrong charge. 

Coupfourpointfive has yet to obtain the details about this but information suggests the judge's comment is in regards to the fact that Scott was charged under Section 340 of the Crimes Decree, when it should have been under Section 343. 

The reason for this is that while Scott may have committed a ‘serious crime’, the DPP has yet to outline the seriousness of it and justify that it should warrant life sentence if found guilty.

Judge Madigan said in all fairness, Scott should have been charged under Section 343, a summary charge with the maximum penalty of two years, if found guilty. 

The DPP’s office has failed miserably yet again, with the Judge finding holes in not only the charges but also the police decision not to formally charge Scott when he was first taken into custody in Nadi last Tuesday (October the 7th).

He also took into account the fact that Scott was taken to Natabua Prison overnight and put in the company of hardened criminals because of overcrowding in the remand facility.

Scott is to reappear in court in just over a week's time (October the 21st).


Editor's Note: Supporters have set up a Facebook for Scott. See link for details
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003040880774&sk=wall

Air Pacific statement tries to play down link of arrested pilot to anti-workers' decree

Air Pacific has today issued its first statement after its CEO was exposed for his role in hatching the Essential National (Employment) Industries decree - and paying an American law firm to draft the controversial legislation.

It's also the airline's first statement since the arrest of pilot Shalend Scott, who is accused by the company of providing information to Coupfourpointfive that led to our story about the implicit involvement of David Pflieger in the creation of the anti-union and workers decree.

Press Release 

AIR PACIFIC CONFIRMS UNAUTHORISED IT SYSTEMS ACCESS AND REMOVAL OF DOCUMENTS
Air Pacific today reconfirmed that it has suspended one of its employees as the result of an on-going internal investigation that uncovered unauthorised access and removal of sensitive Air Pacific confidential documents which included: individual pilot and flight attendant salaries; individual employee contracts; Board material; and other sensitive financial and commercial documents. 

Because of the serious and extensive nature of these offenses, the Company also reported the matter to the Fiji Police, and the Police are conducting a separate investigation. Out of respect for the rights of the employee involved and to allow the police investigation and any subsequent judicial processes to run their course without interference, Air Pacific does not intend to comment further on this matter at this time. 

###
Q: Preliminary reports suggested that more than one employee has been suspended. Is this true?
A: No. Only one employee has been suspended as a result of the Company’s internal investigation and an independent external forensic IT evaluation, both of which confirmed unauthorised access and removal of confidential Air Pacific documents. 

Q: Were the documents that were accessed only related to the Essential National Industries (Employment) Decree, as initial press reports seemed to suggest?
A: No, the vast majority of Company confidential documents that were accessed and removed without authorisation had nothing to do with the Essential National Industries (Employment) Decree. The Company’s preliminary investigation has revealed that the confidential documents that were improperly accessed and removed were wide-ranging in nature and included: individual pilot and flight attendant salaries; individual employee contracts; Board material; and other confidential Company financial and commercial documents. 

Q: Is it true that this suspension was simply a retaliatory move against an employee who revealed Air Pacific’s involvement with the Essential National Industries (Employment) Decree?
A: No. The investigation and subsequent suspension were implemented to protect the Company's confidential information and the privacy of other employees. The Company’s internal investigation and independent external forensic IT evaluation Press Release
confirmed that the security breaches were serious and the unauthorised access and removal of Company documents violated numerous Air Pacific policies and procedures, as well as the terms of the individual’s employment agreement. Because of the nature of documents improperly removed – documents containing sensitive and confidential information with content unrelated to the Decree – the breach had the potential to seriously harm the airline. 

Air Pacific does not deny assisting the Fijian Government in respect of the Essential National Industries (Employment) Decree and providing inputs to the Government regarding this new employment legislation. Providing inputs to the Government on possible or proposed legislation is a common practice in Fiji and other countries – particularly where legislation affects businesses that are vital to the economic well-being of the country. We understand that other companies in Fiji were also consulted about this legislation and participation in the legislative process is normal and appropriate. 

Q: Has the Company’s commitment to its employees changed since the Decree has been implemented?
A: No. The airline’s commitments to its employees and to its unions – commitments put in writing to them – do not support allegations that the Company is intent on stifling unions or intent on imposing new contracts. Air Pacific has been negotiating in good faith with its unions for the past eight months, and it has always maintained that negotiations with all of its employees – unionised or non-unionised – will be held in good faith with a goal of reaching mutually acceptable agreements that are fair to the employees and to the Company. This commitment has continued even after the Essential National Industries (Employment) Decree was published. 

In addition, since the decree was issued, Air Pacific’s CEO also pledged in writing to voluntarily recognise the Company’s two unions, to honour proposals already offered to union representatives without diminishment, and he also promised to provide every employee in the Company, whether they are working under union or individual contracts, with guarantees regarding job security, base pay, health care benefits, and overtime opportunities. He also pledged to uphold the rights guaranteed in the Decree: the right to organise and form a union; the right to a secret ballot election; the right to collectively bargain; the right to a dispute resolution process; and the right to strike. A copy of the CEO’s 9th September letter to Air Pacific employees can be found on www.airpacific.com/About-Us/News/ 

Editor's Note: Shalend Scott appeared in the Lautoka High Court this morning at 10am for his bail application hearing and appears to be unhurt.

Insiders: treason being considered for Air Pacific whistleblower

Scott

Pflieger

Fiji's military regime could be out to make an example of the Air Pacific pilot accused of leaking information to Coupfourpointfive.

Thirty seven year old Shalend Scott was taken into custody last Tuesday night and has appeared in court, charged with cyber crimes or hacking, under the Crimes Decree.

Reliable insiders say, though, that Fiji's police commissioner, Director of CID and illegal attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, have held talks about charging him with treason for spying on the regime. 

The charge of treason carries a life sentence and insiders say Air Pacific CEO, David Pflieger, is urging Khaiyum to make an example of Scott.

Scott, an Australian national and the secretary of the Fiji Airlines Pilot Association, is accused of providing the documents that led to C4.5 revealing Pflieger paid a New York law firm almost US$24,000 to draft the controversial Essential National Industries decree.


Pflieger's direct involvement in the decree (he not only initiated it but paid for it to be drafted), reveal Air Pacific (46% owned by Australia's Qantas) has been working hand in glove with the regime to crush workers and cheat them of their rights.

Fiji coup apologist Shaista Shameem heading to a NZ University

Shaista Shameem

The former director of the Fiji Human Rights Commission, Shaista Shameem, has apparently been offered a position to study and work at Waikato University in New Zealand.

Our information is that Shameem, who until recently has been siding with the regime, will be studying for a PhD in law and probably work part-time at the Law faculty from January next year.

Her sister, the former High Court judge and legal advisor to Frank Bainimarama, teaches Law at Fiji National University.

In 2007, Shameem released an opinion piece justifying Frank Bainimarama's decision to overthrow Laisenia Qarase's democratically elected government. 

She sent her endorsement to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

Shameem said it was legally wrong to refer to the overthrow as the Fourth Coup because the late President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, remained in power.

She said: "If a 'coup' is merely a dismissal of a government by a Head of State, we could then, with some confidence, assert the proposition that Australia has experienced at least eight 'coups' since 1907 - a surprising record." 

Shameem has also revealed that she, the illegal attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, and the illegal solicitor general, Christopher Pryde, conspired to pervert the cause of justice against Qarase.

She was also responsible for the deportation of Fiji Sun publisher, Russell Hunter, and denied any legal representation to civilians who were tortured soon after the coup saying they had 'restricted rights'.

Nazhat Shameem

And despite earlier support, Shameem was removed as director of the Human Rights Commission by the regime in May 2009 and only re-emerged recently to represent pensioner David Burness, who took the regime to court over its proposed changes to FNPF.

After that, she also wrote an opinion piece on the Essential National Industries (Employment) Decree describing the  new protocol as a serious erosion of human rights.

Bloggers had long suspected the Shameem sisters had played major roles in Bainimarama's regime.  Some confirmation of this has come from the former 3FIR commander, Roko Ului  Mara, who has named Shaista's sister, Nazhat Shameem and Khaiyum as two of the people who frequented Bainimarama's home before and after the 2006 coup.

All eyes on Fiji again over accused Air Pacific pilot

Word is getting out about the plight of the Air Pacific pilot accused of leaking information to Coupfourpointfive proving company CEO David Pflieger paid a New York company $USD 23, 943.75 or FJD $43,200 to draft the Essential National Industries Decree.

Second officer Shalend Scott, the secretary of Fiji Airline Pilots Association(FALPA), was arrested from his girlfriend's flat in Lami outside Suva around midnight last Tuesday.

He was detained at Lami Police station overnite and taken to Nadi on Wednesday afternoon.

From there he was moved to Namaka Police station outside Nadi airport but has since been charged with "unlawful access to documents" and has been remanded in custody until a hearing on October 21.

Scott is an Australian national and the Australian government and New Zealand and Australian pilots unions have been alerted.

The 37 year old's union, FALPA, is only affiliated to IFALPA, not the ITF, FICTU or FTUC locally. 

Regional media are also covering the story broken by Coupfourpointfive, after our initial exclusive exposure on September 20, 2011 revealing Pflieger was billed by the New York law firm, MILBANK, TWEED, HADLEY & McCLOY LLP, for  24.5 hours of work.

The invoice proving Air Pacific, which is 46 per cent owned by Qantas, was involved in supporting the illegal regime in trampling on the rights of workers and citizens, showed the bill was sent to Pflieger on June the 8th, 2011.

The work was done between February 10, 2011 and May 8, 2011. It was mostly carried out by MILBANK partner, Wilbur F Foster Jr, with the international company being paid in US currency.


Proof Air Pacific CEO hired law firm to draft decree
http://www.coupfourandahalf.com/2011/09/proof-air-pacific-paid-new-york-law.html 

Australian union officials sound alarm over Fiji
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/australian-union-officials-sound-alarm-over-fiji/story-e6frg95x-1226160600785

Aussie unionist charged in Fiji / Sydney Morning Herald - http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/aussie-unionist-charged-in-fiji-20111010-1lhbm.html

Pilot jailed in Fiji needs more help: union

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-11/pilot-jailed-in-fiji-needs-more-help-says-union/3498636/?site=melbourne

Independence Day from Whom?

Ratu Kamisese Mara and Prince Charles on October 10, 1970

By Ratu Tevita Mara
 

Fiji became an independent sovereign state on 10th October 1970 when its colonial status was abrogated. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, first Prime Minister of independent Fiji, received from Prince Charles the documents evidencing Fiji’s independence. That independence was and remains a great source of pride and joy to all Fiji citizens. On that day the dark clouds of colonialism were swept away.

Today, however, a fresh cloud darkens the future of Fiji. That cloud is Bainimarama’s evil dictatorship and junta, which now controls all aspects of life in Fiji at the barrel of a gun. A reign of terror exists in Fiji; corruption is rampant; and so is poverty. Promised elections in Fiji have no credibility as holding credible elections would expose the current unlawful rulers to prosecution.

The junta and all its actions have been held to be illegal, by Fiji’s Appeal court Ruling of 2009. The current Fiji judiciary is not independent. Fiji remains excluded from international institutions on account of its sharply deteriorating human rights record and failure to take credible moves towards democratic elections. Unions, churches and anyone else putting up their hand in protest are harassed and persecuted.  The media is totally controlled. Central administration is totally dominated by army officers, their relations and friends and quislings.

Currently the junta is seeking, with the aid of huge overseas loans that will burden future generations, to bribe its citizens into submission, while continuing its reign of terror. Those bribes, orchestrated in a clumsy and grotesque fashion by the two chief culprits within the military junta, are no substitute for ordinary human rights.

Many Fiji citizens are keen sportspeople. They will be discouraged by the outcome of backhanded and clumsy interference in sport affairs in which (as in the case of most affairs) the junta has no competence. The junta's artificial attempts to inject soldiers into the Fiji rugby team for purpose of confrontation with the New Zealand authorities is a case in point. The outcome is shame.

An interesting point is that the President has omitted to follow the customary practice of speechmaking on the occasion of Fiji’s independence.  Is the President lost for words suitable enough to describe the sadness of Fiji’s current situation?

Fiji WAS independent but NOT now. Fiji is bound in the shackles of a military dictatorship led by the murderer Bainimarama.

Fiji now needs to be independent from the current evil dictator Bainimarama and military junta. This independence is the only thing that will release Fiji from its current reign of terror, from escalating poverty and from every conceivable ill inflicted by the murderer Bainimarama and his military junta.

Editor's Note: Meanwhile people are being urged to stay home tomorrow to mark Freedom Day. The call is said to be supported by unions, NGO's, the police and a section of the army. In an email sent to us, the group say instead of celebrating Independence, people should be mourning  the loss of the Constitution, fundamental freedoms and unchecked oppression since the 2006 military coup. 

Their message is: "People of Fiji - Yes all you Workers, Farmers, Primary and Secondary school children, Church leaders, make Tuesday FREEDOM DAY and stay home."

Mara: The Pacific Way Paper

Represented Communities: Fiji and World Decolonization