Suva: Fiji authorities have alleged a British army veteran of managing a secret military training in the tropical hinterlands, in a plot to form a breakway Christian state. Doubts were raised after officials in the Pacific archipelago charged almost two dozen people with sedition and plans to overthrow the government.
The group has been accused of engaging in military training in the northern province of Ra, where a movement has been pushing to breakaway and declare the Ra Sovereign Christian State. According to the government-aligned Fiji Sun, the military-style training started three months back and was overseen by “a former British Army soldier”. The veteran is accused of conducting training for about 20 villagers in the hills around the Yaqara Valley.
When asked about the alleged involvement of the Britons, Fiji Police Spokeswoman, Ana Naisoro said, “Those are the allegations that were made. The investigations are continuing.” The man is yet to be identified, and his role to be confirmed. Fiji’s Director of Public Prosecutions have released a list of the latest group of 16 people to be arrested. Prosecutors asked the court for the group to be held in jail “due to the seriousness of the charges and the ongoing police investigations”.
A Melanesia expert, Jenny Hayward-Jones said the British army veteran was “more likely to be a Fijian”, than a British citizen. “There may well be retired British officers living in Fiji but I am not sure if there are younger ones who are energised to do this sort of activity,” she said. Fiji police said authorities had begun making arrests recently after receiving reports of “training of a seditious nature being conducted in the interior of Ra by certain groups”.
“The team continues their investigations on the ground as they try to establish the intent of the alleged seditious act,” said police commissioner Ben Groenewald in a statement.
The country has seen a series of coups since 1987, that have lead to tensions between the indigenous population and the Indian community. About 57 per cent of the country’s 900,000 plus population, are indigenous Fijians, are mostly Methodist, and about 38 per cent are Indian, mostly Hindu.
Hayward-Jones said, “There is a background of indigenous Fijians who are not really interested in following a national agenda. There have been stories of guns and former military being involved. When you hear pro-Christian statements, it is usually about Fijian nationalism and is anti-Indian.”
