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Kiwi1988 cwo 2 User is Offline Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 2721 Karma: 3 applaud / smite Location: Australia 2766 points 0 warnings 0 tempbans	Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 8:49 am    Post subject: Fiji troops out of Solomons mission · Quote Fiji troops out of Solomons mission Cameron Stewart December 28, 2006 AUSTRALIA is to cut Fiji adrift from the military rescue mission in the Solomon Islands, deepening the Pacific nation's international isolation in the wake of the military coup. The Howard Government will next Monday suspend all funding for Fiji's military involvement in the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands. The move means Fiji's military will not be able to take the lead role in RAMSI from next March, as was scheduled under the rotation system for the five nations that contribute troops. Australia has already suspended its bilateral defence co-operation program with Fiji in retaliation for the overthrow early this month of the democratically elected government of Laisenia Qarase by military chief Frank Bainimarama. Canberra has also suspended aid to parts of Fiji's public sector and its police and prisons, but has avoided sanctions, which would harm the general population. The move to freeze Fiji out of the military component of RAMSI is the latest in a concerted global push to pressure Commodore Bainimarama to step down and hand power back to the civilian government. France last week joined international efforts to isolate Fiji, saying it was suspending military ties and would no longer issue visas to Fijian officials. The US also suspended financial aid and weapon sales to Fiji last week, while Britain has accepted an Australian request to suspend its recruitment of Fijians into the British military. In addition, Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth. A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Australia will suspend funding for Fiji's military participation in RAMSI from December 31. "As part of the response to the coup in Fiji we have withdrawn support for the Fijian military component of RAMSI," she said. Australia has this year provided pre-deployment training for about 30 Fijian troops for the RAMSI deployment, while also paying for accommodation and allowances in the Solomons. The Defence Department was unable to quantify the amount spent on this assistance. At present there is only one Fijian military officer in the Solomons but from March a platoon of 30 Fijian troops was due to begin a new rotation in the island nation. Fiji will now not take up that planned rotation. The DFAT spokeswoman said Australia was speaking with other military partners in RAMSI - New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga - on how best to fill the gap left by Fiji's departure. RAMSI was set up in 2003 to help Solomon Islands' government restore law and order, strengthen government institutions, reduce corruption and reinvigorate the economy. The announcement came as the Solomon Islands Government took steps to prevent the country's Australian police chief from returning to the Pacific nation. In a statement last night, Solomons Immigration Minister Patteson Oti said he had declared Police Commissioner Shane Castles an "undesirable immigrant". Mr Castles, who is on leave in Australia, was present in October when police raided the office of Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, as officers sought evidence relating to the escape of Australian lawyer Julian Moti from Papua New Guinea and his illegal entry into the Solomons. Mr Moti is wanted by the Australian Federal Police for alleged child-sex offences. The Australian _________________ Executive Officer[XO] M.S.T. [Reserve corps] Military Global Allied Forces http://www.militaryglobal.com/forum/index.php Evil Prevails when good men do nothing Use your enemy's hand to catch a snake. Jewish Task Force http://jtf.org/forum_english/index.php
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Collo Lieutenant General User is Offline Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 23950 Karma: 12 applaud / smite Location: Down Under 23745 points 0 warnings 0 tempbans	Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:45 pm    Post subject: · Quote It's a pitty that this has happened. Like so many other Aussies and people around the world for that matter, I loved my trip/s to Fiji; a beautiful country with great people. Things have cooled down a little bit now, hoepfully Fiji can clean her self and have her troops (who I have worked with) back on the global front line, They are top notch lads; don't want to loose them. My two cents. _________________ Commander 1st class Special Ops
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Outsider Asst. Admin User is Offline Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Posts: 4203 Karma: 27 applaud / smite Location: North Carolina 32274 points 0 warnings 0 tempbans	Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:08 am    Post subject: · Quote Well I'm not all that famillier with fiji myself but I'm glad to see that both Kiwi and Collo are willing and able to provide us with insite to other cultures. Thanks to the both of you  This area has been kind of stagnate  since moving here I hope that between the two of you we can get some activity going on in this area. I know you both have much work to do on Allied forces and I don't expect you to neglet those duties for this forum just do what you can when you can that will be sufficiant for me. _________________ <table border="0" bordercolor="#F6FCFD" width="1" bgcolor="#F6FCFD"> <tr> <td>  </td> <td> </td> </tr>Commanding Officer M.S.T. Alpha company <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table>
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Collo Lieutenant General User is Offline Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 23950 Karma: 12 applaud / smite Location: Down Under 23745 points 0 warnings 0 tempbans	Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:12 am    Post subject: · Quote Cheers OS Yeah Fiji is unique little place which a majority of the world believe they get by without any problems that face the western world. Sadly this is not so. Fiji has been hindered by domestic political problems for the past several years, to which they have endured several coups which nearly brought the country into civil war. This “in-house” problem that Fiji faces is not isolated. Occurrences of internal political turmoils are rife through out the South Pacific. The Solomon’s are most noted but the island of Tonga has also had its share of problems.  These occurrences are only the tip of the iceberg. These incidents [what some would call small] effect more active nations in the world arena such as Australia and New Zealand. This may not seem like a major problem on the global arena but does pose some rather concerning issues for the Australian Government. Our deployment strength like the US is somewhat at breaking point with more heated deployments through out the world, can the [Australian Government] manage a localised crisis with our current strength. New Zealand is in the same boat, we both have a large portion of troops deployed through out the Middle East both in Iraq and Afghanistan [noting a surge of  troops of Afghanistan] not forgetting troops who are on countless aid missions through the world and our continuing deployment of “hot” peacekeepers in East Timor which has forced us to rely on Reserve forces to handle the operations in the Solomon Islands. In my opinion, I believe with out a massive surge in recruitment into “boots on the ground” positions with in the ADF we might just see our neighbours hack each other away. I support the war in Iraq one hundred percent and I agree with our need to up the ante in Afghanistan but right now the chances of seeing our neighbours who rely heavily on tourist income to survive and employ their citizens could end up an island nightmare. Our regional awareness is foremost in the mind of the incumbent government but if a change in priorities say, from another party winning the election, we run the risk of leaving our region behind. _________________ Commander 1st class Special Ops
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Outsider Asst. Admin User is Offline Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Posts: 4203 Karma: 27 applaud / smite Location: North Carolina 32274 points 0 warnings 0 tempbans	Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:26 am    Post subject: · Quote Man that sounds rough for the folks who live in fiji, as well as a real predicament for your Government I certainly hope that a resolution can be found soon, one that will benefit all concerned parties _________________ <table border="0" bordercolor="#F6FCFD" width="1" bgcolor="#F6FCFD"> <tr> <td>  </td> <td> </td> </tr>Commanding Officer M.S.T. Alpha company <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </table>
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Collo Lieutenant General User is Offline Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 23950 Karma: 12 applaud / smite Location: Down Under 23745 points 0 warnings 0 tempbans	Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:27 pm    Post subject: · Quote The thing is OS, resolutions have come and gone, I wouldn’t be at all surprised that turmoil erupts again in three years time.  The country has been through both economic problems (due to the turmoil, as I stated above; the biggest income and employment to Fiji is in the tourist industry) and the most noted racial tensions between native Fijians and a surge of Indian-Fijians who in the eyes of the native Fijians are taking the economy away from the everyday Fijians and placing it in the hands of Indian owned businesses. As sad as it is, I strongly believe that despite the pleasant location of Fiji, she will never shed her underlying problems. The closest resolution that we can emerge is a need for both New Zealand and us Aussies to bulk up our regional military capabilities. I don’t like playing the policeman in international issues but we need to stand up for those who can not defend themselves and if that results in intervening in another countries problems that not only effects a large majority of the local population but also political and economic (one might consider the two the same) within the region. As much as I would love to see Fiji all smiles again, I believe that day is a long way off. _________________ Commander 1st class Special Ops
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