Reverend Josateki Koroi says that Christian soldiers in the Fiji Military Forces should carefully weigh up their religious obligations if ordered to shoot at people.
Presenter: Bruce Hill
Speaker: Nik Naidu,Coalition for Democracy in Fiji
NAIDU: On a personal note it's a very brave thing that he's done. He's basically taken on the illegal regime and the military forces by saying that, so yes, it's interesting.
HILL: But you have reservations?
NAIDU: Well, when people use religion as a means to an end, you have to question that, especially organised religion and then especially when it's the Methodist Church of Fiji, which were instrumental in the two coups in 1987 and again in 2000. Why did they not say this to the soldiers then, why now?
HILL: In all fairness, I believe that Reverend Koroi actually issued his statement urging soldiers not to obey illegal orders before the coup in 2006, so he at least has remained consistent?
NAIDU: True, except he was I think in an influential position in the two coups of '87 and also in 2000. In the end, where were those statements from this church, at those times when the people of Fiji needed them just as much and in fact it was quite the opposite. The church was very much behind those military coups and behind the military and it's quite interesting now when this military regime is against the churches. The only time the church has stood up, up until now when they've benefited from those coups, they've been very much a part and supported the military.
HILL: What was the Fiji Methodist Church doing in the first coups in 1987?
NAIDU: In 1987, when the alliance government of 17 years post independence, lost the elections and the new People's Coalition government came into power. For that first month, since the new government was appointed, the Methodist Church organised marches almost every week and destabilised the country and the military used that as an excuse and it was all orchestrated and was very much out of the whole movement to topple the elected government. They organised these marches, roadblocks, tried to make Fiji a Christian state. The military intervened, took over and then made it a Christian state, that was in '87.
HILL: So what you're suggesting is that now that the shoe is on the other foot and the Methodist Church is being persecuted, it's hypocritical of them to object to the treatment they're getting now, because it's the treatment they metered out to others then?
NAIDU: Of course, I mean and also not just hypocrisy, it's also possibly and is because they can't hold their annual conferences and meetings anymore which is to raise a few hundred thousand dollars and now they're all out of pocket because of what the current illegal regime is doing. And so I mean you have to question their call for the soldiers, because what they really should be talking about is about respecting the rule of law, about upholding human rights, which is all in the bible and also about moving forward in a peaceful manner and trying to find a solution to Fiji's problems, not just focusing on soldiers not to obey. What about the rest of the civil service, what about the rest of the people?
HILL: From your perspective, do you think that perhaps the Methodist Church now undergoing this experience from what they would see as persecution, perhaps they might learn from that and that might put the events of 1987 into perspective for them?
NAIDU: Well, we hope everybody learns. History has shown in Fiji that noone seems to learn. I mean you look at the political parties that joined and jumped on the bandwagon with this regime, those supporters and consultants that benefited from this coup, this last coup in 2006 and also you look at the trade union movement, that work against the workers that they represent by joining this illegal regime and when they were removed, now they suddenly conveniently against the regime. Up until then, they were very much part of it, supporting it, benefiting from it, financially securing themselves. So you have to question all of these so-called supporters of democracy in Fiji who flip and flop depending on the time of day and the weather and how much money they get.
