Under the blowtorch of Senate hearings in Canberra, the head of the Australian Defence Force takes the blame for the appointment of RFMF Colonel Ben Naliva as Deputy Commander of the 7th Brigade and concedes that the ADF failed to check whether there were human rights abuse allegations against him.
General Angus Campbell says Colonel Naliva hasn’t been stood aside but he is currently working from home. Yet given the nature of the allegations against him, it seems inconceivable that he will be able to continue and this is all heading in one direction – that Ben Naliva will eventually be sent back to Fiji.
The latest story from The Australian in Thurday’s edition.
Send him back here to do what? Leave him with them. Better still French Foreign Legion……..
He wont survive the Legion selection test.
You bet they should send him back! Send him back here where he belongs to answer for his hideous crimes. Then, send him to the slammer. Do the crime do the time.
The Australian Defense and French Foreign Legion are too good for individuals of Penioni’s “caliber”
Do the crime and do the time should apply to all coup makers in Fiji. This includes the current Prime Minister who is smartly hiding under an immunity. He should be dragged to the international courts and put on trial. The whole disgusting lot have committed crimes against humanity.
Throw them all in prison.
Add the current Minister of Defense on that list, Rokoului & Driti.
Yep.
We all understand the clause implemented by former AG is highly unjustified and needs to be seriously relooked into. At least this case in particular could potentially cop a heavy outcome should the ADF deem Naliva unsuitable after their internal investigations. Once and if he’s back home, hopefully there will be solid enough basis to open a police investigation and throw him in the slammer where he belongs. Utter shame on the current commander for turning a blind eye to Nalivas track record and shame on the Coalition Government.
Change is here alright. In all the wrong ways. Next is to get the Minister for porn hub out of office. She can then focus on her koro rugby and her 100 FB posts a day ramblings to stay all in vain to stay “relevant”.
A pleasant though unsurprising, news to hear today. Vinaka vakalevu Australia for doing the needful. Fiji’s overly ambitious yet cowardly PM should not be dumping his problems elsewhere, but deal with it like a “real soldier” that he says ‘he is’… Phew!
Happy Valentine to you Graham and your significant other.
For us here in Fiji, may I suggest that we focus on the “lent” in “Valentine” and do some much-needed soul searching and meaningful reflection for the next 40 days on what we’re actually “created to be”, in this world. Not some prima donna, navel-gazing, fake, greedy, pretentious, power-hungry, obsessed narcissistic, or a two-timing cheat desperately seeking happiness in the wrong places with the wrong people.
What “that is” (that you’re meant to be), is for you to figure out by yourselves by engaging the “brain”, more than the “feelings/passion” (that so easily enslaves us). So happy VaLENTine Fiji! 🙂
Angus Campbell and Naliva, both should be sent home.
The Devil you wish for ! At the rate we going. We might just be giving Bainimarama back his man. Return Naliva to Fiji and he will rebuild an army loyal to Frank.
Innocent till proven guilty
Good point. He would have a worse time being here and not having an airconned room with tv etc.
The whole thing is draining.
Graham, it is just as well you and Victor don’t live in Fiji or there would be Death Squads surrounding your compound by now.
Working from Home?
Waqavonono, Padrath, and Speight should front up to lodge their formal complaint with the Fiji Police instead of just mouthing off to the media. He remains innocent until proven guilty.
Well it was reported to the UN human rights commision in 2011. Let’s see where to from here. IF sent back after the thorough Aussie Defence Force findings then that will be all the reason and more and to proceed.
You want me to believe the businessman who is mentioned in the UN HR Special Rep Report? The same businessman who swindled the YWCA of their property in Lautoka and sold it to Punjas? Please!
At the end of the day, the evidence stacked against Naliva from those he tortured is overwhelming :it’s not JUST one person. They’ve all reported it to the Human rights Commission. Evidence was right there on national tv for all to see. Victims being wheeled out of hospital under heavy guard broken battered and bruised. So it matters not what you believe about his past. Rather best to stick to the matter at hand here.
The same person who was wheeled out of a wheelchair is the same person who was the runner for Roko ului when he hounded the business community to prepare 30K for pick up on Friday to be taken back to QEB? The same person whose family sold their home to Bainimarama, whose signature he forged? The same person who would party with the 2006 coup perpetrators? If the past is irrelevant, why bring up the events of 20006 and 2011+, are they not in the past? Be careful which can of worms you open – there’s a lot of rot in there.
Any update on the Shameless Lynda Tabuya’s case hearing with PAP?? The sooner she’s gone the better. We need Ministers who want to serve the people. Not ministers who omly serve the people when the cameras are rolling. When theres no cameras, they are shagging other ministers on overseas trips funded by the common citizens. Disgrace!!
Did anyone see her catching a public bus to work???
Must have left the Range Rover at home in Suva Point.
Sickening and hypocritical.
As someone who keeps a “weather eye” on Fiji this looks from a far like another poor decision by the coalition government. The thinking behind it goes something like this:
(a) We move this guy loyal to Frank offshore;
(b) We keep going on our agenda to find offences that are not covered by immunity provisions that apply to our leader as well as Frank;
(c) We clap each other on our collective backs while turning a blind eye to good governance, dish out tax holidays for extractives and sell out the people of Fiji
I don’t need my binoculars to see a Liumuri strategy in action. But now it looks like it has blown up in their faces.
Advice to the government from a former Fiji citizen:
1. Focus on good governance
2. Govern for all the people
3. Focus on getting re-elected for positive things and policy you put into action (not Liumuri strategy)
Farmer Joe
You’re merely going in too deep and back to the past. We’re not interested with all that. Save that for the conspiracy theorists and their ramblings on: Else we’ll be accusing every Tom Dick Harry and Larry. I am referring to the CURRENT state of affairs concerning Ben Naliva. Bring him back and lock him up. For the other claims? You are at liberty to visit the CID with those long tales. Ensure you have the proof to back it too. For now – all focus is on Ben Nalivas case: and possibly being sent back home where he rightfully belongs to answer for his crimes against humanities.
@ Anonymous says – February 15, 2024 at 9:52 am
He has not been found guilty of any of the crimes you accuse him of and he is entitled to the human rights that you claim he infringed.
Set up an internal inquiry so that the truth can set itself free. So the manufacturing companies can tell their stories of the phone calls that came on Friday from QEB and the businessman who fronted up to collect it. Don’t be scared of what the truth will reveal.
Truth? There is no truth in Fiji now-from the bottom to the gilded cages at the top. Bring in a panel of judges from all over the world and they still won’t find the truth. How to explain Fiji…..you can only understand Fiji…..if you know and understand Fiji.
@Tinai
Does that make it right that this military officer be used as a scapegoat? If the truth be known to the Australian Senate, would they have take the same process of hanging him out without due process?
If we want to talk about human rights – then let’s start with Sam Speight who kept quiet during the 2000 coup while his brother took a duly elected government as hostage. Businesses suffered, and people died. Post-2016, Sam Speight was distributing DVDs to incite the same type of violence that his brother incited in 2000. We had to ask our rural village family not to get caught up in the propaganda to incite violence in the community. What about our human rights – those of us that did not want to experience the same type of upheaval, calling for ethnic cleansing, and extremism?
Then Padrath is now crying foul but what of his role as a runner for Roko Ului between QEB and the manufacturing industries? They would call in the afternoon for pick up of cash. Sometimes it was 30K other times it was 50K. Let’s talk about human rights – the rights of the manufacturing industry in Fiji to operate their business without duress.
While violence in any form is unacceptable, I refuse to back a story of people who were advocated for and were the perpetrators of violence and who now are crying victims.
@farmerjoe your comment is noted. However at the words “due process” -you lost me there. Due process has been repeatedly mentioned to me by Fiji Police the last few days after a carjacking and wallet pick pocket. My brain is tired from hearing the words “due process”. Suppose we have to wait as due process takes years. At the end of the day Colonel Aruma of PNG has a distinguished record apparently unblemished. If there are any questions WHATSOEVER hanging over Ben Naliva’s name he needs to go. Simple. And not at “due process” speed. Now.
@Tinai February 17, 2024 at 2:21 pm
You the what?! God or Chief Justice?! to direct that he needs to go?!
Even if the process takes years, it is the only right thing to do.