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Fiji's former land forces commander Jone Baledrokadroka - Source: ONE News -
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A military mutiny could be about to unfold to oust Fijian leader
Frank Bainimarama.
The prediction comes from Fiji's former land forces commander who
sought refuge in Australia after being imprisoned following the
2006 coup.
Jone Baledrokadroka and Bainimarama used to be military comrades and great mates.
But their friendship ended when Baledrokadroka was accused of plotting to assassinate Fiji's interim Prime Minister after the coup.
Baledrokadroka says the accusation turned his life upside down.
He says he's not the only Fijian military man opposed to the commodore's antics and he believes there is a 50/50 chance of a mutiny within the ranks of the Fijian military.
With international pressure continuing to build with the European Union freezing more than $200 million worth of aid to Fiji and pressure from other Pacific nations, along with threats of sanctions from Australia and New Zealand, an uprising may be likely.
"We do hope that the interim government is listening to the international reaction that is going on at the moment and will reconsider its position and go back towards moving towards election again in a much shorter time table," says George Cunningham from the EU.
But Baledrokadroka doubts the effectiveness of such sanctions. He says the most effective pressure would be to hit Fijian soldiers in their back pockets and withdraw them from UN peacekeeping roles.
Baledrokadroka says with no pay coming from international military missions, the average soldiers will get more dissatisfied with Bainimarama's rule.
Bainimarama talked to ONE News on Tuesday over his expulsion of foreign journalists, but did not answer calls on Wednesday over the issue of an uprising within the military ranks.
Fiji has since backtracked on those expulsions and Bainimarama's military spokesman said journalists are most welcome to visit Fiji but they just need to apply first.
However, foreign journalists who have been deported are not allowed to return.
With the May deadline to announce an election date looming, suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum now looks certain while the Commonwealth of Nations is also looking at a similar measure.
