Fiji's miiltary leader defends poll delay
Updated
Fiji's interim prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says there will be no return to democratic rule by next March, despite an earlier commitment to the Pacific Forum.
He says the 2009 election timeline is unachievable, because the much needed electoral reforms cannot be done in the eight months to next March.
Fiji's Attorney general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaium, has defended the delay, and denies the government ever had any intention of misleading international community.
Commodore Bainimarama says, his earlier commitment to the Pacific Forum leaders at meeting in Tonga last year, was given on the understanding that the March election date was "flexible".
He says it was the international community that had decided on such a definite time line.
"That date was etched in stone and written in blood by everyone in the international community, including the people who have been vocal against the interim government."
Former Fiji Human Rights Commissioner and head of the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre, Shamima Ali, says she has never been convinced an election would go ahead and it is a "very sad day" for Fiji.
