19 Jul 2012

Fiji regime makes immunity for coupmakers a pillar of new constitution

3:19 pm on 19 July 2012

Fiji's interim government says any draft constitution must include immunity for the events that emanated back in 1987 which is the year Fiji had the first of its four military coups.

Following the release of new decrees, the interim-attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, says after the 2014 elections, no immunity will be given to members of the police or the military.

He says next year a Constituent Assembly will be set up whose membership will be determined by the interim prime minister.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says the draft constitution will go to the President who will then pass it to a tribunal appointed by the chief justice.

The tribunal is to check that the draft is in line with the non-negotiable terms and the immunity provisions.

The 2014 constitution is to replace the 1997 which the regime abrogated three years ago when the appeal court found that the post-coup administration was illegal.