Legal Action Filed Against Qarase

Just as Qarase gets ready to arrive to Suva, the interim government has filed legal action against the ousted Prime Minister and former Home Affairs Minister Josefa Vosanibola, for allegedly calling for foreign intervention and not keeping the President informed of their decisions.

Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum confirms that action was filed late yesterday and the interim government is seeking 13 declarations from the High Court.

Included in these declarations, is that Qarase failed to comply with section 104 of the constitution in keeping the President generally informed about issues of the governance of Fiji.

The State claims that the President was not informed of the outcome of the meeting Qarase and Vosanibola had with, the then UN Secretary General Koffi Annan, regarding events leading to December 5th, the matters concerning the 16th Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Affairs meeting and also on the ongoing deterioration of civilian and military relations.

It also said that Qarase had contacted, or caused the Australian government to be contacted and request for external military forces to be sent to Fiji in the event of military intervention.

The State also seeks a declaration that Qarase failed to inform the President of the presence of three warships on the fringes of Fiji waters, which were there through his request.

It is also alleged by the state that Qarase and Vosanibola failed to inform President Iloilo, that the High Commissioners from the UK, US and Australia met with Deputy Commander Captain Esala Teleni, and encouraged him to withdraw support for Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

When contacted last night, Qarase's lawyer Tevita Fa, confirmed receiving the documents but could not comment on the matter.