The United Nations says it has turned down a top Fiji military commander for a job in Iraq because of credible allegations of serious human rights violations.
Brigadier Pita Driti was to lead the Fiji contingent in Iraq after saying last November that he was told to take a break in Iraq to be spared the stress in Fiji.
But the UN told Fiji that the organisation would not accept any person alleged to have committed human rights abuses or other illegal activities.
Last week, Brigadier Driti told the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation that the rejection was due to political interference.
