Frank’s military regime pulls one at US Embassy

The latest diplomatic death threat in Fiji has come in the form of a packaged white powder that was received at the US Embassy in the capital Suva. And if the history of consecutive death threat notes delivered to the Australian Head of Mission to Fiji not so long ago, is anything to go by, then a 8 year old Fijian child can probably guess that the powder is none other than Frank regime’s doing.

It’s a boring attempt by Frank & Co. to ruffle the diplomatic feathers in their homeland. The junta has become accustomed to ruffling Fiji-bred bird feathers who have retreated quietly to their nests. But to try and ruffle the big eagle’s feathers ain’t a good idea Frank and you gonna be walloped.

In case Frank and his green goons have forgotten, USA has a standing rule that whenever their overseas based embassies are tampered with, they don’t seek approval from the host country but instantly deploy their elite squad to protect their sovereignty and their people in that foreign land. And they take all necessary equipment to carry out their job successfully and not even Frank and his big mouth can stop them.

This latest diplomatic security threat in Suva, Fiji will also test the claims made by the military appointed Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary that all the privileges and immunity for the diplomatic corp in Fiji is still intact.

America will not take this Frank’s orchestrated white powder scare tactic lightly and whether Frank accepts it or not, he has just declared war against Barrack Obama and the American people. Stupid, stupid, stupid is all we can say to Frank and his goons. And hip hip hooraayyyyy!!! The eagle has landed in Fiji!!!!

Pramesh Chand covers his tracks

It comes as no surprise that Pramesh Chand has publicly declared his advise to Frank to attend the Pacific Forum Leaders extraordinary meeting in PNG. Of course he is covering his track once again.

The guy was given an opportunity to redeem himself when he walked away and resigned from serving Frank but he ran back as fast as he can when Frank dangled his lollipop bag to win him back. This warped civil servant is definitely bracing himself from the inevitable embarrasement like that he experienced on the eve of that Niue leaders meet. Pramesh knows that his boss’s attendance will be determined entirely on which side of the bed Frank steps out from the morning before that crucial meeting day of 27th January. 

Frank will obviously be pissed off with his convict status in Australia that disallows him from catching a connecting flight to Moresby out of Brisbane. He will have to do his usual island hop again to get there. And insiders from 4th floor are already saying that Frank is considering using his Australia travel ban as another of his childish reasoning why he can not make it to Moresby at the very last minute. He will blame the Australian government for his non-attendance creating another diplomatic bullcrap that has become synonymous with his twisted state of mind.

Military old-hands rally behind back-to-democracy movement

Our sources say that a group of highly distinguished non-serving military officers have formed a pro-democracy military group and have rallied their support behind the recently established back-to-democracy movement. It is said that these officers and gentlemen will use their military training techniques to launch an all-out peaceful resistance against Frank’s coup mentality.

These sources said that the back-to-democracy movement, which is expected to be in full swing come january 2009, will be an interesting resistance group with the inclusion of this new pro-democracy military group. This conglomerate of NGOs, political parties and pro-democracy individuals is expected to work with the international community to apply intolerable pressure on Frank’s tiring regime.

There are also suggestions that the three paramount chiefs of Fiji from Tovata, Burebasaga and Kubuna will also join forces with the back-to-democracy movement. The three chiefs, Ratu Naiqama, Ro Temumu, Ratu Cakobau who snubbed the regime’s organised great council of thieves meeting are understood to be working in tandem with some pro-democracy global movements and are viewed by these organisations as important vessels of democracy to their subjects. It is said that these well funded pro-democracy global movements will provide financial support to this back to democracy movement in Fiji which makes 2009 an interesting year to look forward to as Fiji rages on with its fight for freedom from its tyrant Frank Bainimarama.

Fiji a safety and security gamble

By Rajnalu

Finally, there are some officers in the Fiji Visitors Bureau who have the balls to admit outright that what is being purported by their regime-appointed chairman, Patrick Wong, Illegal Minister of Tourism Khaiyum and Kiss-Ass Dixon Seeto of the Fiji Islands Hotel Association (FIHA) is ridiculous, impossible and downright immoral to say the least.

The FVB staff sentiments are spot on! For how can they sell Fiji with the same passion and spirit, they have been renowned to do in past years, and tell the tourist that Fiji is still the same Fiji!!

Even in Marketing & Promotions, there are ethics that one sticks by. When Fiji Tourism crosses that line, they will become nothing more than illegal street-peddlers, trying to sell off the ‘people of Fiji’ for the best price possible.

What’s even sadder, it is we the local people who have to still do the peddling while the “privileged few” benefit from this taxpayer funded campaigns.

Kudos to those FVB Officers for standing up for the truth and bringing this to the attention of all right-thinking and law-abiding citizens of Fiji. Their honesty expressed here must be acknowledged.

Don’t you worry, we got your back!

Our open letters to all Travel Wholesalers will be sent out before the end of next week to get them to support this passive non-violent resistance approach against this regime, by not selling Fiji for now.

If Fiji is already high-risk for its own citizens, how can it not be for visitors to this country?

Countries must caution their citizens that Fiji is a ’safety and security’ gamble right now for visitors planning to come to Fiji.

As much as we want & need tourism money, we surely do not want it at the expense of the people’s freedom and democratic rights.

Right now,it’s plain o’l “illegal blood money”.

James Batley’s death threats will never see the light of day

Death threats targeted at James Batley, Australia’s country head to Fiji, has been diagnosed with a permanent “Fiji time flu”. Insiders from that department say the spirit-filled Police Commish Teleni has written an RB note on that file – RB meaning “Rubbish Bin”. And that was to be expected anyway with the regime itself ranked as the number one suspect in that life threatening cowardice act.

Some are even joking that Teleni may have received that “RB” directive from an angelic visitation he encountered while snoring lazily with his coup coup boss Frank under their mangoe tree.

Indigenous Fijians respond to their “alien” status in Fiji

Our post titled “VKB Indigenous Fijians Denied Work in Fiji” has touched a raw nerve with the regime and the natives themselves. Our sources say that  indigenous Fijians affected by this latest attempt by the regime to un-Fijianize them has renewed their hatred towards Frank’s military regime. They say that a group has  taken a step further by translating it in their own dialect and distributing it amongst their own Fijian community.

And the interim Fijian Affairs Minister Epeli Nailatikau is not a happy man when he was told about our blog post. So much so that our sources have confirmed an order directed by him to the military police to detain anyone seen distributing the translated version of our story.

Overseas FVB officers reject their military Chairman’s claims

We’ve received word that overseas-based Fiji Visitors Bureau officers are in disbelief with the increased 2008 tourist arrival figures claimed by their Chairman, Patrick Wong in a press conference yesterday. It is reported that these FVB staff are disturbed by the exaggerated figures announced by Wong which some say is the military regime’s way of forcing them to deliver the impossible target thrust down their throats come 2009.

They say 2009 will be one of the toughest year ever for FVB as Wong and his military regime bosses have dimmed their “Fiji Me” marketing torch to a scary “Coup Coup Me” one. They admitted that promoting Fiji is like promoting the devil himself making it extremely difficult for them to ignite their passion in selling their couped out paradise.

Fiji’s biggest toursit source market, Australia, has launched an aggresive marketing campaign to convince their people to take advantage of their own local holiday hotspots to help cushion their economy against the global recession. New Zealand, Fiji’s number two source market is also doing the same leaving Fiji with its own extravagant interim regime to be its potential key client. In actual fact, NZ tourist figures are dwindling fast.

These officers also say that the full effect of the travel advisories will be felt in the next 3-6months due to the advanced booking system adopted by Fiji’s wholesalers.

A thought for overseas-based Fiji staff

By Rajnalu

If all overseas-based Fiji staff in Embassies, Trade Commissions and Fiji Visitors Bureau detests the current illegal running of their nation, they should keep their sense of dignity and resign now.

If they resign now, these staff can easily apply for political asylum in those countries they are currently based in.

If they choose to continue, then they must understand that all they are perpetuating is the ‘mental asylum’ created by the Chief Mental Dictator, Frank Bainimarama back home!

Surely there is no pride in promoting this “kind of Fiji”!

Resign now, while you can!!

Visitors arrival? What’s that?

Patrick Wong, his cuzin brother Seeto and their fake minister Aiyaz Khaiyum are claiming that visitors arrival to Fiji continue to increase. But a key factor they didn’t say is  that their statistics is the same unreliable one given to them by their militarised immigration department and that bureau of stats office headed by none other than Frank’s own bro. 

Given their notoriety as professional liars, these junta apologists will go to any length to try and prove their lies. They have lied about most things important to their integrity rating. Now with their exaggerated tourist arrivals figure, we doubt very much that many will be convinced of its accuracy.

Perhaps Patrick, Seeto and Aiyarse should explain to the world how they’ve arrived at their figure. Wait, hang on, we will tell you their lie right here. Their trick is this -  their supposedly increased visitor arrivals is made up of mostly visiting ex-Fiji residents who return to Fiji to visit their families and friends. Do they contribute to Fiji’s tourism industry? Hardly because they don’t see themselves as tourists. Hello, they are simply going home for a visit! Cunning visitors arrival count aye!!!

Resort owners pro-coup stance comes back to haunt them

Leading up to the coup of Dec 5th 2006, a good number of well known foreign-owned resort operators cried foul over Qarase’s proposed qoliqoli bill. In it, resort owners were recommended to pay a fee to the traditional fishing right owners for the use of their qoliqoli as a money making sea estate. Pioneering resort operators in Fiji joined forces to lobby against what they termed as unfair and a destructive idea designed to fuel the Fijian hand-out mentality by the nationalistic SDL government. They argued, cajoled, pouted and pleaded their case directing some notable ones to convince Frank to revisit his coupsterhood. It is now a well known fact that some of these well known resort operators were the instigators of the 2006 coup, a strategy they adopted to avoid having to pay resource owners whom they claim will use their beaches and sea frontages in a typical uncivilized village-type manner.

Their Fiji Hotel Operators Association came alive and became the mouthpiece for their funders protest to kill the qoliqoli bill. In came Frank with his coup d’etat and the rest is now history. But as Frank continue to bask in the glory of his new found coupsterhood, these same resort owners who put him there are again crying foul. This time, they have gone even further by attacking governments of their key source markets that they are not fair in warning their citizens to think twice if they are ever planning a trip to Fiji. And ironically, most of these resort operators are citizens, if not permanent residents of these key markets while the rest are naturilised Fiji Islanders who like to call themselves the pioneers of tourism in Fiji.

And we say, what goes around comes around. What you do to others will be done to you.

Tourism Fiji under attack by locals

By Rajnalu

If tourism is the proverbial ‘golden goose’ in Fiji, then lets get the ‘golden goose’ to hold off laying anymore ‘golden eggs’ for now.

The Fiji Visitors Bureau should (if there is any heart left in that organization) look at countries that have had militias and military takeovers and see that only the privileged few really benefit from the taxpayer-state funded campaigns. Only the privileged few benefit under an illegal regime! That’s the sad truth!!

If the Fiji Tourism Industry is not prepared to make a stand against the regime, then they must also suffer the same fate of the illegal regime, by not being issued any visas for overseas promotions. Any current visas must be cancelled and withdrawn.

The Fiji Visitors Bureau must be confronted about wasting any more taxpayer’s dollars in their desperate hope of trying to entice a tourist to come to Fiji. They must be reminded that this is taxpayer’s money, not the illegal regime’s money.

Surely, Patrick Wong, the regime-appointed Chairman and the Board cannot continue to believe that they are still promoting the “friendliest nation in the world’, when the truth is far from it.

The argument that the industry provides employment, therefore they must continue to do their work is a lame one.

We cannot allow ourselves to be conned into this argument anymore. There are some things more important than money. Thankfully, there are many people in Fiji who realize this now.

Please Mr. Patrick Wong, do not waste any more taxpayer’s money.

If you continue to do so, you will face democracy-for-Fiji-activities, run side-by-side your activities overseas. There are connections and supporters of democracy waiting to support Fiji.

Let’s encourage tourists visit other south pacific countries as a neighborly gesture and let’s fix this situation in Fiji, by standing up to the regime.

If the Fiji tourism Industry truly believe in the resilience of the industry,(as they often remind us),then the tourism industry at large can also believe that standing up to the regime in the name of democracy, will be a much nobler stand.

For once, just consider not worrying about the loss of employment and incomes,and loss of profits. Fiji will regain that when we as a nation get our act together.

If the Tourism Industry makes a stand against the regime, it will gain real prominence in the minds and hearts of people from all over the world, especially from the markets that Fiji Visitors Bureau promotes in.

Truth and Justice is real. If the Fiji Tourism Industry stands by these values, the country will be lifted up in ways, unimaginable.

We will gain more than what we stand to lose now. All are winners in such an approach.

It is nobler to be resilient this way.

We don’t recognise Frank’s regime – Pacific Leaders Forum

By Rajnalu

The Pacific Forum needs a real overhaul too.The leaders of this forum have got to wake up now and really do some tough talking coupled with some real action.

The day they accepted Bainimarama as Fiji’s interim leader was the day they lost alot of the high moral ground leaving them with very little movement in this “wheeling and dealing” they expect to achieve out of Frank Bainimarama and his illegal regime.

They just need to make one single statement at this PNG Meeting on January 27th: The message must read that they no longer recognize Frank Bainimarama as the leader of Fiji and that no further dialogue will be made with his government.

The forum must then implore the President of Fiji to return the nation to Parliamentary rule.

As lame as the office of the President has shown itself to be, the forum must still show some level of respect,even if Fiji’s President does not enjoy the respect and support of so many in Fiji.

Ater all his office remains the only legitimate office in the land.

This could be the way for Our President to redeem himself and the high office he holds. Lets afford him that opportunity.

As for Frank – well, he has wasted every opportunity that has come his way. I think its time we stop “throwing any more pearls to the swine”.

We must understand that the Pacific Way and Talanoa sessions also have limits. Any continuance of this, just unravels more of the lack of wisdom that prevails.

This illegal regime does not understand the meaning of “wontok”. All they have been doing is two-tok, three-tok timing the Pacific forum leaders.

Many, realize that Australia, New Zealand or the Pacific forum for that matter cannot change the situation in Fiji. Only the people of Fiji can.

The more the Forum becomes determined in its resolve to make a stronger stand, without entertaining any further dialogue with the illegal regime, the more strong-willed the people of the nation will become.

The people of Fiji must feel that they have this kind of a support. And to get the ball rolling, the forum must begin by disregarding every recommendation and suggestion from the illegal regime.

The call for a return to democracy must not include conditions from the regime. Fiji has had enough of the “conditioned-style road map to democracy” in past coups and history shows it does not work.

If the forum can do this – then this will truly be “won-tok” at its best.

Patrick Wong adopts regime’s lying policy

Patrick Wong, Fiji Visitors Bureau military appointed Chairman is a desperate man. He is with his boss Aiyarse Khaiyum at Sheraton Fiji Resort trying desperately to convince their NZ and Auzy tourists to keep on visiting them. Their boss, Fiji’s mad money man Frank Bainimarama, has promised them double the budget any other Fiji government has ever allocated to its tourism industry. They now have about $28million at their disposal to fund all their tricks to con tourists to visit Fiji. But they fervently refused to tell these tourists that the very Fijian people they are relying on to give them that ultimate Fiji experience, paid for by suffering tourism operators and not the regime, are  their ”prisoners of Frank’s coup”.

Patrick and Aiyarse’s recent reaction to the disastrous travel advisories labelling Fiji as an unsafe destination is interesting. Aiyaz and Patrick called a press conference just to tell whoever wants to listen to their garbage that “Kiwis still flock to Fiji despite meltdown”. Oh really Aiyaz and Patrick? And Patrick, how come you didn’t tell the truth to the media that these bookings were made well before the global meltdown some 3-6 months ago and that these tourists were expected to pay upfront and that cancellations will cost them up to 50% and sometimes 100% of their down payment forcing them to take their Fiji trip anyway. And Patrick, why didn’t you tell the truth to the media that most of these tourists were only interested in Fiji because of its much discounted rates adopted by the struggling tourism operators following your boss’s 2006 coup in their desperate bid to attract today’s budget and security conscious tourists? So you guys honestly think that your lie will make it to your source markets Australia and New Zealand media? Sorry bros, your lies only work in Fiji.

Fiji today news for Fiji visitors

To the people of the world planning to visit Fiji, read our fellow blogger’s collated HOLIDAY IN HELL events at http://fijitoday.wordpress.com  for an update on the lawlessness in that coup riddled island.

By all means, avoid Fiji and go to civilised Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu or its other neighbouring Pacific Islands.

And remember, if something bad happens to you in Fiji, sorry mate, you will be so so alone. Your embassy people are not allowed to visit you or help you out. So beware!

Frank junta’s unpopularity targeted at overseas Fiji offices

Fiji’s interim Minister for Tourism, AG and Minister for Everything Else, Aiarse Khaiyum is still trying unsucessfully to tell the world that Fiji is the way the world should be. The guy is still spitting out his bull while declaring at the same time that the regime he represents has valued young Shavneet’s precious life at a trivial $250 bucks. Two of his regime’s police officers were also taken in for defiling under aged girls while robbery with violence and rape is happening simultaneously with the release of his sick statement.

And the rest of the world is not taking these horrible events lightly. It has been reported that overseas Fiji offices which are the Fiji Embassies, Fiji Visitors Bureau and Fiji Trade Commission have been inundated with anonymous phone calls and emails telling them to piss off to their militarised alcatraz island in Fiji. Most of these messages were received in Fiji offices located in Australia and NZ following the deportation of their diplomats from Fiji. And Fijian staff at these offices are said to be struggling in dealing with this new wave of attack by their host country’s citizens.

While Aiyarse is lapping it up at Fiji’s 5-star Sheraton Resort, the innocent Fiji officers who are slogging themselves out to meet their unrealistic tourist and investment targets perpetuated by Frank regime’s bully boy behaviour, are facing the full brunt of their source market’s anger for the undiplomatic dismissal of their country head to Fiji. And we say these to the Fiji officers concerned, detach yourselves from this regime and quit serving them with your sweat, blood and tears. Look for employment elsewhere for your offices are in danger of being closed when tighter sactions against Fiji will be put in force in 2009.

James Batley’s no entry scoop angers Frank

Our scoop on Frank’s directive to put a no entry ban on James Batley, Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji, has angered the coup-maker. Insiders have reported that heated words were exchanged between Frank and his team with the military strongman demanding his Ministry of Information people and Telecom Fiji Board of Directors to get to the bottom of how such classified information was leaked.

Frank believes he’s been spied on by the big boys and wants his coconut hook-up installed to peeve back at those who are spying on him. His mood was developed by his own interim AG who told him that all their electronic gadgets are being intercepted by the outside world and the regime has adopted that eavesdropping and spying spin to justify Frank’s “bully boy” claim on New Zealand and Australia.

The latest we’ve gathered is that James Batley’s name has been taken out from the Fiji immigration computer black list, a ploy to mislead the immigration staff who can access that list from all ports of entry. The regime is hoping that these immigration staff will tell their network that the ban has been lifted. But the truth is this. Batley is still on a no entry ban to Fiji. And how did we get this piece of information? From the Fiji people themselves who are in the thick of things and definitely not from some James Bond eavesdropping bionic earphones as claimed by Aiyarse.

Frank likely to ditch PNG meeting

There are fresh talks from Fiji that its military strongman, Frank Bainimarama, will once again ditch the upcoming PNG Pacific Forum Leaders meeting where Fiji’s deteriorating state of affairs is expected to be dissected. Our sources say that Frank’s inner circle of advisors are having conflicting views on the matter. John Samy and Aiyarse Khaiyum hold the view that Frank’s attendance will not add value to their regime’s overall plan which is to continue with their “force and shock” therapy by bulldozing their divisive policies in that Fiji Isles for at least 10 years.

They argue that giving in to the “return to democracy” call mooted by the dissenting locals and democratic international community will only hasten their impending trial for the sufferings they have created to the people of Fiji and others. The two are fully aware of the cirminal nature of their actions and know that the day will come when they and their puppet military head will be made accountable for the crimes against humanity they’ve forcefully brought onto the people of that island nation.

The other faction led by Pramesh Chand are firm in their belief that Frank must face up to the Forum Leaders group and commit to a November 2009 election deadline. But sources say Pramesh and his backers will not win this one as they are mostly civil servants who are now very careful not to give an advice to the regime that can later be used against them in the court of law. They know that the day of reckoning is coming when every spoken and written word will be thrashed out in court to determine whether they were honorable civil servants, always acting in a highly responsible manner to protect and preserve the best interest of the very people that pay them, the taxpaying public – not the military regime.

Everyone is covering their own behind so to speak  but it is enlightening to see that the civil servants are beginning to understand that they must remain loyal to the masses who butter their bread and it is not Frank, not John Samy, not Aiyarse, nor the politicians but the people they’ve vowed to serve. 

So will cranky Frank visit his wontok friends again before the January 27th leaders meeting? We are told he will on his way back from the Middle East. We are also told that he will leave his message with Michael Somare in PNG who will be requested to disseminate it to the other leaders during the meet while he finds his place under his mangoe tree somewhere in Fiji and wait for the Forum leaders verdict.

VKB indigenous Fijians denied work in Fiji

We have been reliably told that indigenous Fijians have been denied to work freely in Fiji. We can report here that a “silent” immigration amendment made by Frank’s military regime as of late has affected a large group of indigenous Fijians who have returned to Fiji to set up business or to offer their services in the local employment market. They have been told that they can no longer work freely in their motherland and that they must apply for a work permit or a Fiji Permanent Residency if they have acquired citizenship in another country.

Traditionally, an indigenous Fijian who is registered in the sacred “Vola ni Kawa Bula” (VKB) means that that person has traditional rights to their clan’s land and fishing ground. It also places indigenous Fijians in a ‘very special” category and they often refer to their kind as a group of indigenous people who can never be landless, thus their strong addiction to protect anything relating to their natural resources.

Previous governments have always acknowledged that all indigenous Fijians registered in the VKB  must be given unlimited access to live and work in their motherland no matter what with no questions asked. Fijians who had migrated overseas were free to return to Fiji and do whatever they want to do for as long as they want. But not any more according to Frank’s regime.  Now, indigenous Fijians have been treated as aliens and stopped at the immigration desk, interrogated and rudely told that they are only allowed to stay for a maximum of 3 months or so and that they are not allowed to work. How dumb is that? Stopping an indigenous Fijian from going to his forefathers plantation, plant it, and sell it if he wants to. Isn’t that what you call work? Do they have to get work permit to work their traditional plantation? Get outta here Frank!!!

We suggest that affected indigenous Fijians pool themselves together and make their voices heard to get their traditional right back as registered VKB indigenous Fijians. Otherwise, Frank will continue to erode whatever is left for these seriously endangered natives. Sounds racist? Nah, we don’t think so. It’s their pure indigenous Fijian right and they must not be denied of it.

Visa denials creates a marvelous opportunity for law-abiding locals

If Australia and New Zealand are serious in getting Fiji back to democracy, then one must look beyond the current diplomatic impasse between Fiji and its big brothers. By this, we mean that Australia and New Zealand should now consider employing locally engaged staff to carry out their policing, military, and other foreign relations jobs for them.

We believe that Fiji has many brilliant people readily available to carry out such duties for Australia, NZ and the international community at their own backyard in Fiji.  The many executives who were forcefully and unfairly removed by Frank’s junta will be most willing to offer their services on how to resolve these sensitive matters that will benefit everyone concerned. After all, they are experienced people who know the dynamics of how things work in Fiji and the Pacific and they are the best people who can do the job because of their deep local understanding. As humans, most will still be hurting from their unceremonious removal and what a better way to discharge that anger by getting them to act as locally engaged staff tasked to face Frank’s irresponsible and illegal regime head-on.

The embassies will also save themselves from having to beg the junta for work permits as these highly qualified local people are residents who do not require visas. We suggest that the international community must change its strategy on Fiji by appointing locals to do most of its senior jobs while still maintaining a reasonable number of expatriate senior staff to satisfy their respective governments’ requirements. The locally engaged staff can also become a voice of their own as Fiji citizens who depend on these foreign missions for their livelihood.

We know that locals who will be assigned to carry out such duties will turn out to be very loyal to their employing foreign country and will be their best eyes, ears, and brains behind the demolition of the coup empire and coup culture in Fiji.

NZ and Fiji in a diplomatic suicide

By John Liebhardt

Tensions between Fiji and New Zealand boiled over Tuesday when both countries kicked out each other’s chief diplomats.

In a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Fiji’s Attorney General announced that ambassador Caroline McDonald would be expelled not because New Zealand refused to grant visas to three family members of senior officials in Fiji’s government who came to power in a December 2006 coup. Instead, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum reasoned McDonald’s “actions over the past year that have been contrary to the accepted international norms of diplomatic behavior.”

Sayed-Khaiyum also alleged that the New Zealand and Australian governments were tapping phone lines in Fiji.

The New Zealand government retaliated to McDonald’s expulsion by demanding Fiji’s High Commissioner leave the country within seven days. In a press release, New Zealand’s foreign minister argued Fiji’s allegations against McDonald were not specific, leading to wonder whether the real issue remained the travel ban imposed by New Zealand and Australia after Fiji’s December 2006 coup.

McDonald is the second representative from New Zealand to be expelled from Fiji in the past 18 months.

Australia’s government also learned Tuesday its South Pacific Defence Advisor would not be granted a visa, giving him seven days to leave Fiji.

Bloggers and commenters in both New Zealand and Fiji have largely found fault with their governments’ actions.

Raw Fiji News calls the moves by self-appointed Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama irresponsible.

The second expulsion of NZ’s High Commission to Fiji by it’s military regime within a span of 12 months is diplomatic suicide. Frank has declared war against Key’s newly formed NZ government and he is gonna get it. There will definitely be swift retaliatory action not only by the NZ government but the international community as a whole. NZ will alert its citizens to cease visiting their popular tourist destination Fiji because of their government’s inability to respond fully and freely to any SOS calls by a New Zealander in Fiji. And there is good reason for them to be concerned about the safety of their citizens.

In a separate post, Raw Fiji News says the government is using the diplomatic row as a means of placing public scrutiny elsewhere.

The irrational Frank has finally made the delayed call to boot the New Zealand representative in Fiji to show NZ and the international community that Fiji belongs to him. Like Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Frank has launched a personal war against NZ which some say will be another distraction and excuse as to why the elections will be delayed further.

Writing before the expulsions took place, New Zealand’s Whale Oil Blog argues that New Zealand’s government could have handled this diplomatic row a little better.

Bluster and finger point generally doesn’t work. There is an easy solution for all but it requires New Zealand to climb down from their post-colonial posturing and Fiji to accept some honest assistance i getting them back on the road to democracy.

In Fiji news sites, forums and comment sections, the government’s moves drew both praise and protest.

In FijiLive, Lis Body commented:

Frank will eventually learn … that Fiji is just a little dot on the ocean and we can’t compete with countries like NZ, OZ or other democratically elected countries. NZ and Australia should close down the embassies in Fiji. People in Fiji would then like Tonga have to travel to the next country just to lodge a visa application and the costs … oh boy!

From Peni, with a reference to New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key:

In your face Key, that’s what happens when you keep interfering in other nation’s affairs. Why don’t you poke your nose other nations like China, Burma, Iran, Libya and so forth? Well, you know what. I know the answer … your country is too small to use your favourite bullying tactics on these big nations.

In a Scoop New Zealand column arguing the New Zealand government is placing itself on the sideline by engaging in the diplomatic war with Fiji, stuart munro adds a comment:

To prop up NZ’s current reactive stance on Fiji our government has acted in an increasingly petty and vindictive manner.
Bainimarama was not an enthusiastic entrant to the coup game – he sat out two without becoming involved, and his own was rather bloodless and not without a constitutionally valid cause.
Our current sanctions reflect spite more than the liberality that must prevail between mature neighbours.