SODELPA Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka has called on the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama to refrain from partisan, political attacks and fear-mongering on the 20th anniversary of the tragic mutiny of November 2nd, 2000 while Bainimarama says it is Rabuka and his 2000 supporters that the people are frightened of.
Rabuka says he is making this call as Leader of the Opposition, SODELPA Leader and as a former Prime Minister of Fiji.
He says the Prime Minister is the captain of the ship.
Rabuka says he must be vigilant and be cautious of headwinds facing the nation today rather than dwelling on the past.
While reacting to Bainimarama’s statement, the SODELPA Leader says the Prime Minister must serve all the people of Fiji and not just those who voted for him, particularly the disciplined services.
He says Bainimarama’s primary duty is to bring unity, not sowing division among the people.
Rabuka says the people of Fiji expect their national leaders, particularly the Prime Minister to be responsible and sensitive in his public utterances. He says the Prime Minister’s public messages must be all-embracing, balanced and reassuring.
The SODELPA Leader claims it has been said that the Government has best served the few families who have donated millions to its political campaigns in 2014 and 2018.
Rabuka says he has fronted the court, and was cleared of charges relating to the 2000 mutiny.
He says it is unfortunate that the Prime Minister continues to dwell on something that has been addressed by the judiciary, and the case is now closed by the Appeal Court’s dismissal of the Prosecution’s appeal against his acquittal.
Rabuka says he has also sought legal advice, and reserves his right for judicial redress of possibly defamatory utterances by the Prime Minister.
He also says as a nation, we cannot continue to turn a blind eye and pretend there are no great wounds that require forgiveness and dialogue.
Rabuka says we should focus our attention on healing wounds rather than inflicting more damage which further divides the nation.
He says for him, the Lord put his eyes in the front, not at the back of his head.
Rabuka says it is time the nation must come together, and focus on reconciliation and healing, most importantly, to provide employment opportunities for people who are facing hardship due to the impact of the COVID19 pandemic.
Bainimarama has said this afternoon that if anything that’s scaring and frightening the people right now is Rabuka’s entry back into politics plus the rhetoric his opposition members and their supporters are bringing up. He says they are a bunch of year 2000 supporters.
The Prime Minister says the country should scrub them all out, starting with Rabuka, and get some new good solid opposition members.
[SODELPA Leader Sitiveni Rabuka and Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama]
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has told the members of the RFMF, Police and Navy to be careful of the intentions of SODELPA and its leader Sitiveni Rabuka.
While speaking to them in the iTaukei language after the 2000 Mutiny Commemoration Church Service today at Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Bainimarama said Rabuka is like a snake amongst the community.
Bainimarama adds that he was not talking to them as the Prime Minister or a politician, but as the former Commander of the RFMF and someone that knows what is happening.
Bainimarama urged them not to forget the person that wanted to become the Commander when all this was happening.
He says their supporters are urging them to conduct the second event of November 2nd, 2000.
Bainimarama says some people are saying that the government does not protect the iTaukei.
He says people should be careful of these sorts of messages that are being circulated.
Bainimarama says some of those that took part in the 2000 mutiny are still in parliament.
He says SODELPA was better when Rabuka had not joined the party.
Bainimarama says some of the chiefs and church leaders entered parliament and took part in the events of 2000.
He says racial discrimination resulted in the events of 2000 but with the establishment of the 2013 constitution, everyone is now protected.
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