The former Fiji army officer who escaped to Tonga after being charged with sedition has called for the public emergency regulations in Fiji to be lifted and for the military-led regime to step aside.
Lieutenant Colonel Tevita Uluilakeba Mara has released the fifth of a series of addresses on the file sharing network Youtube, this time outlining more of his plans for regime change in Fiji.
He has asked the Fiji public to embark on a campaign of giving the "thumbs up" gesture where ever they go as a sign of solidarity against the regime.
Ratu Tevita says the regime is reluctant to lift the public emergency regulations because without them, it will be driven from power.
Addressing Commodore Frank Bainimarama personally, Ratu Tevita says the interim Prime Minister's so-called roadmap to democracy is a failure and that the military strongman's dictatorship has led the country backwards.
"Over the coming weeks I will travel the region to discuss with the Pacific leaders the real situation in Fiji and I will discuss the roadmap on how we will return Fiji to democracy in the shortest time. Unlike your roadmaps, it will be published within the next two weeks and not remain a mystery to the people years after being announced."
He has also criticised the Australian-born spokesperson of the Fiji regime, Sharon Smith-Johns, for presiding over restrictions on freedom of expression in the country.
Having returned from five months of leave paid for by the taxpayers of my country, it is about time you earned the money you are paid and started speaking the truth. I now challenge you in your role as the Permanent Secretary for Information to convince the junta to lift media censorship immediately.
Lieutenant Colonel Tevita Uluilakeba Mara has thanked people in and outside of Fiji for the many messages of support he has received.
