Fiji's military has warned that any mercenary force which threatens it should be ready to revisit the events of the November 2000 mutiny which involved a bloody shootout at the main army barracks.
The Fiji Sun reports that the warning follows an offer by a Fijian security officer, Viliame Raqio, of the Tel Aviv-based company Global Security International, to defend the Qarase government from the military if the Reconciliation and Unity Bill is passed.
Mr Raqio said last week that his protection squad is only awaiting a call from the government if the military tries to stop the passing of the Bill, adding that he had briefed both the prime minister and the minister for home affairs.
But the military commander, Commodore Bainimarama, says "if events take Fiji back to what happened in 2000, then people like, Raqio, who was kicked out of the military will be the first the army will look for."
Commodore Bainimarama says the military will "hunt him down so he should be prepared for this or run, run for his life."
He says the Reconciliation and Unity Bill will only free those who wronged the people of Fiji and those who were involved in the bloody mutiny, and he would NOT let that happen.
