9 Mar 2011

A Fiji military chief says full support for Bainimarama among military

12:08 pm on 9 March 2011

A Fiji military spokesman says there's no rift in the force and there's full support for its commander, Fiji's interim leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

Land Force Commander Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga says speculation resurfaces regularly about a split and he described it as an old song.

Rumours of a split intensified after two senior military officers Brigadier-General Pita Driti and Lieutenant-Colonel Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba went on leave last October.

Colonel Tikoitonga told Radio New Zealand International they are still on leave at the moment.

He says he is not in a position to say anything about whether they will be returning.

When asked if that means they are effectively out of the military, he replied that they are on leave.