Fiji claims NZ spying on govt

Fiji's military regime has used warlike-talk to condemn New Zealand and Australia in a continuing stand-off over sanctions on the South Pacific coup prone nation.

Military appointed Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is claiming today that the New Zealand High Commission in Suva has used their Fiji staff to spy on Fiji nationals.

A spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today refused to comment on the allegations.

"These local staff should be ashamed of themselves for betraying and spying on their fellow country men and women," Sayed-Khaiyum said in a lengthy statement released today.

He claims – without citing evidence – that Canberra and Wellington are tapping Fiji's phones.

Bizarrely he also claims New Zealand and Australia are now insulting Fiji's World War Two soldiers.

The statement follows a Fiji back-down over a threat to expel acting New Zealand High Commissioner Caroline McDonald, 18 months after the expulsion of High Commissioner Michael Green.

The McDonald threat came after family members of key officials in the regime were denied student visas to study in New Zealand.

Australia and New Zealand imposed sanctions on Fiji after military chief Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew a democratic government in December 2006. He has since backed off promised elections.

Sayed-Khaiyum's back down came a day after Bainimarama left Fiji to spend Christmas with Fiji soldiers in the Middle East.

Sayed-Khaiyum said New Zealand was abusing diplomacy by "actively engaging with those who are opposed to the government.

"They have been engaged in local politics, they are engaged in creating disquiet within the population. This is why Michael Green was sent back."

Local high commission staff were spying.

"This lack of diplomacy would not be tolerated in any other country," Sayed-Khaiyum said.

He accused New Zealand of neo-colonialism.

"They do not treat us with dignity and respect."

On Remembrance Day, November 11, heads of diplomatic missions turned up for wreath laying but Australia, Britain and New Zealand sent junior staff.

"They have not even spared the dead in their political posturing. It is an insult to the brave men and women who died not only serving Fiji but the allies which included Australia and New Zealand."

He said Bainimarama had met the Australian Foreign Minister Steven Smith and it was put to him that Canberra was tapping phones in Fiji.

"He did not deny it. Ladies and gentlemen the tapping of phones in Fiji is illegal."

Sayed-Khaiyum said Wellington claims the current military regime is illegal.

"This is factually incorrect."

He said a recent Fiji High Court ruling had declared the Bainimarama regime was legal.

He did not say, however, that New Zealand and Australia do not currently accept that the Fiji High Court itself is legal as the military removed its chief justice in the wake of the 2006 coup.

Sayed-Khaiym said Wellington was being inconsistent over its demand for democracy in Fiji.

"They actively engage with China, with Tonga, with Thailand and with numerous other countries which have different rules for governance, representation, or have had governments removed," he said.

"One is then left with the only conclusion that the Governments of Australia and New Zealand are simply bullying the Pacific, believe they can engage with Fiji and the Pacific in whichever form they want and we in the Pacific are expected to just sit back like children and accept it."

Australia and New Zealand were the richest and most powerful in this part of the Pacific and "they believe that their way is the only way even if they have been inconsistent, even if what we want is right and good on a universal basis and for us".

Fiji would not be bullied and wanted instead to engage with Australia and New Zealand on equal and fair terms.

He said Bainimarama would announce a special team to "engender better relations with New Zealand.

"We must as a nation and indeed as people of the Pacific stand up to such bullying tactics, we must be proud of our country and not be intimidated."

 

- © Fairfax NZ News