Coup d’etat ... what a journalist to do?

Press, 22 May 1987, Page 3

Coup d’etat ... what a journalist to do?

By

JAMES SHRIMPTON

of AAP through NZPA Suva Let’s make it clear from the start of this story — the rumours in it that you are about to read are totally untrue. This report is to provide some idea of what it is like to report a coup d’etat when merely the sight of a reporter’s notebook can lead to its confiscation by suspicious soldiers carrying rifles. The same goes for taperecorders and cameras, possession of which has led to detention for a score of reporters and loss of their cassettes and film.

When personal observation can be fraught with danger, telephones are tapped, the Ministry of Information can provide no information and neither can police, what does a journalist do? In Suva, the recipe for a story is: take one taxi.

(Actually this was unlikely yesterday — most taxi-drivers are. Indians, and were off the road after the riots.) Either that, or listen to mysterious gentlemen who sidle up to you and offer, exclusive stories, sometimes backed with documents the validity of which are suspect, to say the least

Anyway, on to the stories — read them, then forget them. For instance, did you know that a giant American plane landed at Nandi Airport last week-end, and 400 armed Yank soldiers are now camped out on the local golf course? (The whole coup, of course, was a C.I.A. plot). Or that the Fiji Army set up roadblocks on the main highway from Lautoka and intercepted busloads of Indians heading for Suva and are confining them in the “Man Friday” resort, now a prison camp.

We can also offer The Libyan Government has deposited $l3 million (Fijian or American, we don’t know) in a Nandi bank for the use of its political allies in Fiji. The Iran Embassy in Bangkok has sent a certain political figure $250,000 (also of uncertain denomination) with the promise of a matching amount later. The Iranian Government has told Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka it will guarantee finance should international organisations deny funds to Fiji or freeze its overseas assets. The Governor-General plans to set up a Government in exile on his home island of Taveuni.

At least three people died in the riots. A firebomb has badly damaged a department store in Nandi (we were able to check this one — a store employee said a man threw a lighted

match in a rubbish bin in the men’s room). Colonel Rabuka is under arrest The Queen is on her way to Fiji to sort the whole thing out Australia and New Zealand are about to invade the country. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, named to the military regime’s council of ministers, has left the country. There are so many reports of arrests and house arrests that we will mention just one. AAP: Sir, we have a report that you have been arrested. Is it true?

The Chief Justice, Sir Timoci Tuivaga: Well put it this way, Jim, I’m just off to play golf. Can I give you a lift? That is just a few of the rumours.

Now, if any of them happen to be true — just remember, you read it first in this column.