Page 8 - Islands Business March 2024

Whispers Whispers

Nauru-Fiji-Tuvalu military’s actions.” Kalouniwai said there of consular services at the embassy.
When Nauru did the flip on Taiwan was a need for the RFMF (Republic of Given the large Tongan diaspora in the
in February, it sent the temperature Fiji Military Forces) to redeem itself as United States, easier access to visas
soaring in Canberra as all eyes turned an institution and embark on a process for travel and work should be a no
towards the upcoming election in of transformation, reconciliation, and brainer. Similarly in Solomon Islands,
Tuvalu, to see whether a pro- or anti- restoration. Interestingly, the military people are wondering when they will
Taiwan candidate would win. At around seems to have started a parallel move get a dedicated Ambassador, after the
the same time, but much less obscured to the government’s proposed Truth American Embassy opened with much
from the public view was renewed and Reconciliation Commission. The fanfare last year. The US Ambassador
concern over Fiji – fresh worries that Commission bill was introduced to to PNG presented her credentials to
‘trouble’ might again be brewing. parliament last year and there’s word the Solomon Islands Governor General
And it’s not the first time in the last that preparatory visits have taken place this month. Many fear that US pledges
six months or so that alarm bells on this year to Australia. But there’s some of action will take some time to
Fiji have sounded – and then gone off interesting theories as well on the implement, a growing pattern around
again. Fiji was of course said to be on ground about the exercise. One of the the region.
Australia’s list for a climate/security questions being asked is, whether this
deal, the other top candidate being is one way to get George Speight out of Nuclear tragedy equals ‘mistake’?
Nauru. Alas, we all know how that a life term in prison, for his role in the As Marshall Islanders gathered for
went. Word is, there’s some intense 2000 civilian coup. Days before Christmas Nuclear Survivors Remembrance Day
machinations underway in the halls of last year, Fiji’s President, Ratu Wiliame – the 70th anniversary of the Bravo
power in Canberra and Washington, Katonivere granted pardons for 12 people nuclear test on 1 March – there was
where the Pacific is concerned. at the recommendation of the Mercy no high-level US representation at the
Monitoring and surveillance in the Pacific Commission. Speight had already received ceremony. There’s no Ambassador at
are being ratcheted up, explaining the a commutation of his original death the US Embassy in Majuro, so the US
watchfulness over Fiji in recent months. sentence in 2002. It means he cannot Chargé d’affaires read out a series
And so, that’s where the US sending receive a second pardon. In any case, of talking points, acknowledging
its Deputy Director for the CIA on a Fiji’s military is known to be strongly past “mistakes” and “misguided
Fijian excursion (for which there was no opposed to any clemency moves for decisions”. One or two mistakes is
sensible enough “official” explanation Speight. Speaking of prison terms, Acting fair enough, but when you let off 67
anyway – the official line was about the Chief Justice Salesi Temo overturned a nuclear weapons, one after the other
worsening drugs scenario, but then, not guilty verdict for former PM Voreqe over a period of 12 years, it looks a lot
Fiji’s siding with the US on the Israel Bainimarama on a charge of attempting like deliberate policy!
issue only raised more questions), is said to pervert the course of justice (and
to fall. It’s all about holding the “lines of suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Climate contradiction
defence” against the rapidly advancing Qiliho on one count of abuse of office). In our January edition, Australia’s
Chinese strategy in the region. More and That could involve a jail term. There’s a Special Envoy for the Pacific, Ewen
more elements are being added to the wait-and-watch outlook in some quarters McDonald said Canberra was moving
geopolitical equations, it seems. about the potential implications on the to ramp up its climate targets: “I
ground of a prison term for Bainimarama. know people want us to go fast, but
Peacebuilding or strategy? On the other hand, the military seems to we are going as fast as we can.”
Have political temperatures cooled in be setting the tone for a new beginning in Not fast enough, according to Anote
Fiji? The military held a church service Fiji. Clearly a lot to watch on the Fijian Tong. The former President of Kiribati
at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in political landscape. toured Australia in March, pressing
Nabua this month, where Commander, the Albanese government to halt the
Major General Jone Kalouniwai made Grumbling about the US expansion of fossil fuel production
significant comments about the The US State Department is proudly and export. Tong noted that “the one
importance of “acknowledging past promoting the new US Embassy in the thing that I’ve always found very odd
wrongs and seeking reconciliation with Kingdom of Tonga. But there’s a bit of and somewhat contradictory is that
those who had been affected by the grumbling in Nuku’alofa about the lack we are given aid to build our climate

8 Islands Business, March 2024