5 Sep 2003

Fiji's CCF opposes deployment of Fiji guards in Iraq

3:31 pm on 5 September 2003

A Fiji interest group says the the government should prevent the private deployment of more than 400 former and reserve soldiers from taking up security duties in Iraq next month.

The Citizens Constitutional Forum says the soldiers are being recruited by a private British company, Global Risk Strategies.

A spokesperson for the Forum, Jone Davakula, says no Fiji soldier should go to Iraq unless there is a UN mandate to do so.

"We have just written to the minister questioning how the government and the Fiji military forces could be supporting the employment of territorial forces and retired army personnel by a private company which is like a mercenary outfit."

Mr Davakula says even if the soldiers go to Iraq as private individuals, the government has a responsibility to stop them.