11 Sep 2014

FLP party to lay police complaint over Fiji PM's coup statements

3:29 pm on 11 September 2014

The leader of the Fiji Labour Party says he intends to lay a complaint with police over comments by the Prime Minister about the 2000 coup.

In a speech yesterday, Rear Admiral Bainimarama said the riots and looting of the 2000 coup will not happen on his watch and he will not tolerate a climate of intimidation and fear.

Mahendra Chaudhry says Mr Bainimarama has been campaigning over the past couple of days, promising that he would protect the people and not let Suva burn.

Mr Chaudhry says the prime minister is evoking memories to incite fear.

"Clearly he's in breach of the Electoral Decree as well as the Public Order Act and this is what we've complained about. We've also questioned his sincerety in this becuase he was in charge in 2000 of the military when the coup occurred and the arms to secure the coup actually taken out of the army barracks."

Mahendra Chaudhry says no one else has been talking about such matters until now.