Take a good look at this face. It’s what happened to Australian sportsman Simon Cowley when he fell foul of champion swimmer, Nick D’Arcy, in a bar altercation shortly before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. D’Arcy king-hit Cowley, inflicting so much damage that his features had to be surgically rebuilt. Take another good look at this face. Because this is the face of Australia at the forthcoming 2012 London Olympic Games. Incredibly, D’Arcy is being allowed to compete, to represent his country, to represent the Australian people. It’s a breathtaking national disgrace and there’s only one medal in the offing here – for the Australian Olympic Committee for an Olympian exercise in appalling judgement and blatant amorality.
Australians are renowned the world over for their passion for sport and will to win. But if this is what winning means, then a sizable proportion of the Australian population would rather lose. There is only one possible result if Nick D’Arcy takes to the pool in London – as now seems certain – to compete in the butterfly championships. Ignominy. Ignominy for him, the AOC and the whole country. Australian spectators will be shamed, there’s a high chance that D’Arcy will be jeered at the venue and it’s odds on that every commentator from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe will be tempted to highlight this new low in trashing the Olympic ideal.
How has it come to this? What possible justification can there be for including this champion thug in the Olympic squad and permitting him to wear the hallowed green and gold? Incredibly, it’s emerged this weekend that agreement for Nick D’Arcy to compete in 2012 may well have been reached between him and Swimming Australia – the sport’s governing body – soon after the assault in 2008 that cost him his place in the Beijing squad. That’s right. While the rest of the country was reeling with revulsion, our sporting czars were interested in only one thing – to make sure that one of their potential medal winners was cosseted, reassured and kept in line for potential glory down the track.
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Weekend, Simon Cowley claimed that only a year after the assault, in 2009, Swimming Australia cut a deal with Nick D’Arcy for him to drop legal threats made by him against the association. Under this deal – Cowley maintains – D’Arcy’s presence in the 2012 Olympic squad was guaranteed and Swimming Australia had no choice but to endorse him. Cowley told the Herald his source for this information was Swimming Australia’s CEO, Kevin Neil. The SA president, David Urquart, said yesterday he believed “nothing untoward” had happened and “there was no deal done as far as I was concerned”. It’s a less than absolute denial that deserves to be pursued at the highest levels given Urquart’s confident declaration that Nick D’Arcy’s place in London is assured.
Yet incredibly, the head of the Australian Olympic Committee , John Coates, has said he sees no reason to investigate Swimming Australia’s conduct or revisit the question of whether Nick D’Arcy should compete in London. Yes, this wayward Cinderella of swimming is going to the ball – criminal record and all – and we all just have to get used to it. Well, sorry John. You might run the AOC but Australian taxpayers provide the Olympic movement and its sports with more than $100 million dollars a year. And if you want to keep it, you’d better start listening.
Nick D’Arcy was sacked from the Olympics team in 2008 and was banned from the 2009 World Championships after pleading guilty to assault. When he was ordered to pay Simon Cowley $370-thousand in damages and costs last year, what did he do? He got off scot-free by declaring himself bankrupt. What a wonderful sport he is. What an example to aspiring Olympic swimmers and the young people of Australia. In their will to win, the moral compass of our sporting administrators has been lost. The reward for hideous violence is a place in the Olympic spotlight. The decision to include D’Arcy in the team must be reversed and as quickly as possible. And if the AOC won’t do it, the Australian Government should step in. It should withdraw all funding and government patronage for the entire sporting fraternity until this shameful decision is reversed.
How low can some Australia officials sink in the pursuit of a medal? Can you imagine D’Arcy on the podium while the Australian anthem is being sung? Will it make Australians feel proud? Reward for an ugly act of thuggery and cowardice? This is one medal that will shame an entire nation. Many, many people are turned off. Australia’s Olympic campaign has been sunk even before it has begun.
According to the Olympic Charter, D’Arcy should NOT be eligible to compete in London anyway. See Chapter 5. II Eligibility Code, which notes that to be eligible a competitor must “respect the spirit of fair play and NON VIOLENCE, and behave accordingly.” “Seemed like a good idea at the time” to break Simon Cowley’s face so it needed to be put back into place with plates, just like it seemed like a good idea to declare himself bankrupt, leaving Simon with his injuries and the bills .I ask you, would Nick D’Arcy have declared himself bankrupt if he thought it would have affected his selection in the Australian team? Highly doubtful. Note the language from Swimming Australia: “Kevin can’t remember saying any of the things that were said (in the report).”. Not remembering is not the same as denying; it is the language politicians use in the event the truth comes out later.
Thuggery, Violence and beatings have no place in the civilized world. The thugs should serve their sentence and never be allowed into a position where they can represent their country. I was very pleased to see this is the opinion of Grubsheet.
What surprises me is that it has taken a one of piece of violence to cause such moral indignation and outrage. In Fiji we have a man that Grubsheet refers to as a Prime Minister who is one such thug.
Bainimarama has been witnessed taking part in the beating of women. The soldiers under his command and following his orders have on many occasions taken innocent civilians up to the army camp and then beaten them to a pulp. Union leaders, politicians, business men even journalists like Graham Davis have all been taken up to the camp and beaten. Anyone with a contrary opinion is at risk.
It does not stop there. Arson, destruction of property, threats to family are all things opponents of the dictator’s regime have come to expect.
To compound the issue when the dictator’s brother in law killed a man in a brawl, he was released in extraordinary circumstances just weeks into his sentence and given a promotion to head of the navy.
In Fiji we have state sponsored thuggery. It is easy to be a thug and get away with it when the police are commanded by military officers under the thug’s direct command.
One good thing is the thug will not represent Fiji at the Olympics.
But worse, he represents Fiji at the United Nations General Assembly, He represents Fiji with heads of Governments, He represents Fiji at regional meetings.
To paraphrase Grubsheet “What possible justification can there be for including this champion thug on the world stage and permitting him to wear the hallowed mantle of Prime Minister of Fiji?”
Do we here a hint of outrage from Grubsheet? Of course not. When Davis has the chance to interview the dictator does he bring up human rights abuses? No he asks the dictator cozy questions like what does he discuss with the American Ambassador?
The hypocrisy of Graham Davis is mind boggling. He can get so worked up about one bar room brawl in an Australian pub but he can turn a blind eye to state organized thuggery by his favorite dictator.
Graham you truly are Bainimarama’s friend.
For your gratuitous and insulting posting to have even a shred of credibility, will you please give us all chapter and verse about the allegations you are making about Prime Minister Bainimarama?
This is the favoured tactic of regime opponents, to make wild claims of “human rights abuses” and “torture” on the part of the prime minister and others without elaboration. This tactic of the broad smear extends to mainstream groups such as Amnesty International, whose Fiji coordinator is a well known and long-standing regime opponent.
Put up or shut up. And if you ever use an insulting pseudonym like that again, I will have the utmost pleasure in consigning you to the cyber dustbin in perpetuity. I don’t mind criticism, even harsh criticism. But I am entitled, when addressed, to be addressed with a modicum of civility.
you make a relevant point..graham davis is a fat stupid moron..
Terry, someone like you calling me fat is a real laugh. But I’ve decided to be nice to you from now on because you were good enough to come to PINA and my squabble is really only with your boss.
I also feel personally sorry for you after your admission that people keep wanting to hit you. It’s times like this when I know how they feel but I’m sensitive to your feelings and we must all try to turn the other cheek.
You were also very chivalrous coming to Lisa Williams-Lahari’s defence over her lovely snapshot with Frank Bainimarama. So I know that underneath that menacing exterior lurks something of a gentleman and it’s a side of you I want to encourage.
Hope you’re having a nice day in Apia.
that’s what happens when you kiss up to unelected dictators..you lose any credibility and people don’t take anything you say seriously..as for “squabbling with my boss”..oh please, you and baini aint good enough to clean Tui’s jandals..
Terry, well that’s not very chivalrous, accusing Lisa of “kissing up to unelected dictators”. It was only an innocent photo. And who is Tui? And what are jandals? It’s all very puzzling to non-Samoans like me.
“GD Hypocrite”, you were warned and you did it again. So your last posting has been rejected. You can post it again with a proper ID or go elsewhere. I do not censor but will not tolerate gratuitous abuse.
“This is the favoured tactic of regime opponents, to make wild claims of “human rights abuses” and “torture” on the part of the prime minister and others without elaboration”
Graham do you seriously believe all these allegations which span 6 years by a wide variety of people are made up. You remind me of those nutters who denied the holocaust ever happened.
It is hard to give you chapter and verse on dictatorial thuggery in Fiji as the police have never once investigated these claims. Small wonder as the Police Commissioners for the past 6 years have been RFMF officers under the direct command of Bainimarama.
Let’s talk about what has reached the public domain and been recorded pictorially.
1- Balu Khan leaving custody needing help to walk and heavily bandaged
2- Ben Padarath bandaged heavily in a wheel chair attending court having been in military, not police, custody.
Allegations of Brutality
1- The detention and brutal beating of pro democracy activists in December 2006. Laisa Digitaki has written a long account of her arrest and time in detention. Col Mara, one of Bainimarama’s officers corroborates her story and says Bainimarama landed the first blow on a woman
2- Felix Anthony has been beaten up twice. The last time was immediately after a ‘conversation’ with Bainimarama.
There are many more examples of beatings.
In terms of arson the judge Gordon Ward had his house burnt down in Pacific Harbour. The officer in charge of that daring military mission was Col Sitiveni Qiliho commonly known as TUKS. The joke doing the rounds at the officer’s mess at the time was that he was a good man to invite around for a BBQ.
You say “This tactic of the broad smear extends to mainstream groups such as Amnesty International, whose Fiji coordinator is a well known and long-standing regime opponent.”
To Paraphrase again.
“This tactic of denial extends to mainstream groups such as Grubsheet, whose leading writer is a well known and long-standing regime supporter.”
These acts of thuggery are real. The reports from Amnesty are real.
I called you a hypocrite and I stand by that. I will remove world champion because, though I think you would win, I don’t believe there is such a world championship.
What else do you call it but Hypocrisy when you show such moral outrage over a bar room brawl but don’t even make a murmur over state sanctioned violence against civilians.
In your case it is one law for dictators another for sportsmen. That my friend is Hypocrisy at its finest!
“One Law for Dictators”, again you have not addressed the specific allegations you made about Frank Bainimarama. You said he “was witnessed taking part in the beating of women”. You said “soldiers acting on his orders beat people to a pulp”. You even say ” journalists like Graham Davis have been taken to the camp and beaten”. Que?
I acknowledge that Balu Khan, Ben Padarath, Laisa Digitaki and Felix Anthony may well have been “beaten up at the camp”. But by Frank Bainimarama? The only evidence you offer is an account by Tevita Mara, who himself stands accused of human rights abuses by a former US ambassador to Fiji in a diplomatic cable obtained by Wikileaks. And given the history of their relationship, well he would say that wouldn’t he?
The fact is that you have given no plausible or definitive account that Frank Bainimarama beat anyone, let alone issued orders that people be beaten. Ergo, your claims against him are either based on hearsay or rumour or have been deliberately fabricated as a calculated smear. They certainly haven’t been established as fact, as you readily concede. So why make the accusation in the first place?
I think you would acknowledge that Bainimarama is the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.
I think you would acknowledge that he is responsible for the actions of all his soldiers whilst on duty.
I think you would acknowledge that the RFMF is a disciplined force and people follow the orders given to them by senior officers.
I think you would acknowledge that any Commander of a reputable military organization on hearing these allegations would order an inquiry. These allegations have done irreparable damage to both the institution of the RFMF and Bainimarama as an individual officer.
If he did not condone these actions by his soldiers he would have called them to account.
He has not called an inquiry, he has not disciplined any soldiers, he has not disciplined any officers. Ergo he was either involved personally or as Commander he supports their actions.
There is no evidence in public domain because no one in a dictatorship will investigate the actions of a dictator. So we have to rely on witness statements of people brave enough to stand up against a thug. I would add Balu Khan and Ben Padarath made their allegations under oath in court.
When the Police Commissioner has to follow any direct order given to him by his commander, the commander has nothing to fear from the police.
Even if Bainimarama has not personally beaten anyone up. Soldiers under his direct command have done so. He is a dictator, therefore he is the state. Ergo we have state sponsored thuggery which you find acceptable.
You find it abhorrent that a sportsman should be allowed to compete after being involved in a bar room brawl. Yet you find it perfectly acceptable for a dictator whose security forces, under his command, use thuggery as a perfectly reasonable leader for Fiji.
You are a Bainimarama’s friend. I don’t understand your loyalty and your tunnel vision when it comes to Bainimarama. But it is clear to all there is one law for your friend and another standard for the rest of us and that makes you a hypocrite.
Yes, yes, I know. It must be infuriating when you make wild allegations to be asked for the evidence. And then when you can’t provide it, to be reduced to making general claims of culpability because Bainimarama is commander.
I don’t know how many times I have to explain that the PM is not a friend of mine. Friendship implies a level of intimacy that we simply don’t have, however much that must frustrate you. I support his multiracial agenda and his plan to return Fiji to a better democracy in 2014 than it enjoyed before. Don’t you? And I oppose beatings or human rights abuses under any circumstances. Don’t you? All pretty motherhood stuff, I’d have thought. Why are we arguing here?
You are right, I do find the lack of evidence infuriating. But what infuriates me more is that the Police will do nothing to investigate these allegations to provide the evidence.
What infuriates me more is that the RFMF will do nothing to investigate these allegations to provide the evidence.
What infuriates me more is that the very institutions that are supposed to protect the public are the very ones causing them harm.
What infuriates me more is that the institutions that should be investigating thuggery by Bainimarama are controlled by Bainimarama.
What infuriates me is that the thug dictator has systematically removed all the checks and balances needed to keep a control on power so now he can behave in any way he likes.
What infuriates me is your Hypocrisy. Even though You “acknowledge” 4 people “may” well have been beaten up at the camp. You gloss over it as if it is nothing. You then have the gall to say “I oppose beatings or human rights abuses under any circumstances.” But you obviously condone it by your continued support of the regime that carried out those acts of thuggery.
Like you I support a multiracial Fiji with a “better democracy”. Unlike you I don’t believe we will get it through dictatorship.
Unlike you “I oppose beatings or human rights abuses under any circumstances.”
You seem to only oppose them if they are carried out by sportsmen but find them perfectly acceptable if they are carried out in the name of dictatorship.
More Hypocrisy of the highest order!
One Law, I actually regard the previous SDL government of Laisenia Qarase as a more grievous abuser of human rights. Why? Because it set out to erode the rights of the non-indigenous minority in Fiji. Not a handful of people but tens and hundreds of thousands, indeed some 40 per cent of the population.
Those rights to equality in Fiji are being enforced by Frank Bainimarama and he is preparing to return the country to democracy with a purer form than existed before. This does not excuse any human rights abuse along the way but let’s get a sense of proportion here.
You make a series of wild allegations while admitting you have no concrete evidence. On what basis can you point to my hypocrisy given that? This is an existential crisis on your part owing more to suspicion than fact. You started out specifically accusing Bainimarama of “beating women” and have had to concede the available evidence is zip, zero zilch.
here ya go..
LAISA DIGITAKI’S STATEMENT
& SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
RE – PRO-DEMOCRACY GROUP OF FIVE ROUNDING UP AND BASHING, BY THE RFMF ON
DECEMBER 24th ‑ 25th – 2006.
On Christmas Eve night of 24th December, 2006, a group of soldiers came to our home at I2 Kavika Place, Muanikau, Suva at around II.20pm in a rental car registration number LR627.
Members of the family who were at the property at that time were myself, Laisa Digitaki, my partner, Sitiveni Weleilakeba, our son, Mosese Qionibaravi (I9), and three daughters, Susana Qionibaravi (I7), Fiona Weleilakeba (I3) and Natasha Weleilakeba (8). A security guard was also on duty.
According to the guard, Marau Vakaloloma, of Matrix Security Company, the soldiers advised him through the closed electronic gate that they were there to take me to the camp.
The guard told them to wait outside the gate so he could advise us.
He rang the door bell which was answered and opened by our son Mosese.
My partner Sitiveni, who was asleep with me heard the door chime and also went downstairs to the front door to check. He said the guard told him of the soldiers presence and he told our son to go back to his room and that he would talk to the soldiers. He walked over to the closed electronic gate and was informed by the soldiers that the order from their superior was to take me to the camp for interrogation.
My partner then came back into the house to our bedroom and woke me up saying that a group of soldiers were outside waiting to take me away. I went downstairs in my sleeping gown and – asked them why they wanted to take me at that ungodly hour.
One of them said that I needed to be taken to the camp immediately.
I told them that I needed to speak to my lawyers at Munroe Leys as I wanted to be escorted by them too. The guy mentioned that I need not speak to my lawyers as it would only complicate matters and that they needed to take me peacefully and that I should not fear as they claimed that we were all related anyway.
He also said that another group of soldiers was on their way and their job is to forcefully remove me from my home if I resisted. The gentleman who seemed to be their spokesman looked familiar to me as the SDL Nasinu Branch Secretary. I do not know his name.
I asked their spokesman if I could change into decent clothes of which he said yes. I went back to our bedroom and changed into a mustard Marcs three quarter pants, a “Fiji Me” bright green round neck T‑Shirt, pink golf cap, and brown leather Hush Puppies slippers. Before I walked out of the house, I called my Munroe Leys lawyer, Mr Richard Naidu, to advise him of what was happening.
I then walked out peacefully and into the yellow rental car with the soldiers.
I was introduced by the spokesman to each of them and he mentioned that the one sitting on my left was from Vanuabalavu, Lau, and the one on my right was from Namosi. The Namosi lad looked like the person who headed the Namosi soldiers who presented an apology to Commodore Bainimarama for their part in the 2000 coup. I do not know his name.
The other two soldiers were calling him Sir so I can only assume that he is a high ranking officer.
Their spokesperson did not elaborate on the driver, who was also an indigenous Fijian.
They mentioned that they were also after Imrana Jaial, Virisila Buadromo and the rest of our pro-democracy youth group. Imrana’s home is two houses away from mine and I told them to leave her family alone and that there was no point in going to Imrana’s home since she was away overseas for business anyway.
The four soldiers were very friendly and we were even cracking some jokes on our way to the camp. They said that most of the soldiers were SDL supporters and that I shouldn’t be afraid. I told them that even-though I helped with the SDL election campaign, I was totally against most of the things they came up with soon after the election and that I was not supporting SDL but was doing what I was doing not for the restoration of the SDL government but for the restoration of democracy and law and order in Fiji.
As we arrived at the camp, I was told to walk into a room situated on the left hand side of the main gate which I will call the guardhouse. The Namosi soldier gently requested that, I hand over my cap, Sony Ericsson mobile phone and Raymond Weil watch, which I did. They told me to sit awhile on a white plastic chair and after a few minutes, I was led into a passage way from where I was sitting and realized that they were cells. On my left, I noticed two young men asleep in the first cell in their underwear snoring and noticed another figure in the same cell but couldn’t figure out whether it was a person as it was quite dark.
On my right, I noticed my business partner, Imraz lqbal, lying on his back on the cold cement in his red underwear. I greeted him before they locked me in the cell opposite Imraz’s. After a few minutes, they opened the cell again and led me further down to the last cell where they locked me up again. The cell was darker than the one before. An indigenous Fijian soldier in civilian clothing came to me and started accusing me for talking against the army takeover. He ordered that the mattress I was sitting on be removed so that I could sit on the cold cement floor.
More indigenous Fijian soldiers walked over to my cell to peek with some saying their Bulas’ while the others did not utter a word.Overall, the soldiers at the guard house were pleasant and not intimidating except for that gentleman who was angry about my pro‑democracy stand. After about 20 minutes in the cell, the Namosi soldier came and freed me and asked if we could go together to get Pita Waqavonovono, another pro‑democracy advocate. He was very apologetic and told me that he was very sorry with all that was happening and the inconvenience it was causing.
I told him it was ok and that I fully understood that he was only doing his job for his family’s welfare.
As I walked out of the guardhouse, I saw a man that looked like Meli Bainimarama, Commodore Bainimarama’s son in full uniform and watching me walk out.
The Namosi soldier led me to a four wheel drive parked outside the guardhouse.
He sat at the front passenger seat with the driver on his right while I sat alone at the back seat.
They drove me to Pita Waqavonovono’s dad’s house, Mosese Waqavonovono, opposite the St Agnes Primary School at lower Mead Road. The gate was locked and there were dogs barking from inside the gate.
By then, I noticed another white car with more soldiers park next to the car I was in. I deduced that it may have been an unmarked escort. The Namosi soldier then asked me politely to call Pita and to explain to him that he needed to come out and to join us peacefully.
I called Pita who advised that he lived with his mum and step‑dad at 58 Pathik Crescent Place in Namadi Heights. I explained to him that the soldiers wanted to talk to our group and that it was important that he adhere to their orders and to join me peacefully when we get to his place. He agreed. Our entourage went straight to Pita’s house where I was again requested by the Namosi soldier to call Pita to walk out peacefully.
His step‑dad, Ratu Timoci Vesikula, came out first and asked the Namosi soldier what he wanted in the Fijian language. The soldier explained that they were there to take Pita to the camp. Ratu Timoci asked the soldier as to what type of leadership the army was doing for demanding his child’s removal from their family home to the camp. The soldier replied that they only wanted to ask him some questions.
Ratu Timoci asked the soldier whether it wasn’t enough for the army that his child was already taken to court for his peaceful protest and why the army demanded further interrogation when the matter was in court.
The soldier replied that he was only caring out orders from his superiors.
Ratu Timoci then asked for Commodore Bainimarama’s number to tell him how disgusted he was with the way the military was treating his son and their leadership style. The soldier and Ratu Timoci exchanged angry words and the soldiers admitted that he did not know Commodore’s mobile number. Ratu Timoci then invited the soldiers in for a cup of tea but the soldiers rejected his offer. He then sought assurance from the soldier that if they were to take his son, the army will have to make sure that they return him in one piece to their home. The soldier agreed.
Ratu Timoci then walked back into the house and walked Pita to the car I was in. Ratu Timoci and his wife said their hellos to me and we were transported back to the camp where I was dropped off again at the guardhouse. Pita was asked by the Namosi soldier to accompany another group of soldiers to pick Jackie Koroi as they were not sure where she lived. The soldier made some calls on his walkie talkie. He than advised me to run with him to a place he called the officer’s mass which was about I00meters away from the guardhouse. He led me to this semi open hall which was in total darkness.
As we entered I noticed the silhouette of I person standing in the hall which turned out to be Virisila Buadromo. As I moved closer to talk to her, I heard a man’s voice call out that Virisila move some I0 meters away from me.
I saw another silhouette of a man standing across the hall from me. I could not see their faces as it was very dark.Both man started asking us in Fijian language why we were making their lives miserable by talking against the military. I did not answer and one of them asked us to give them a reason why they should keep their soldiers out at the check‑points during Christmas. I answered that they were doing their job. They then demanded an answer from Virisila but she did not answer.
One of them asked me whether I was intelligent of Which I answered no.
One of them moved closer to me, he would be the same height as me but with a bigger and firmer built.
He wore a hat pulled down to about eye level but I couldn’t make out who he was as it was too dark. His voice sounded familiar to that of Pita Driti.
He lifted his arm and cocked a hand gun on my face and asked me whether I knew that sound. I answered that I did.
I could see the silhouette of the hand gun from the spec of light from a far off tube light at the top left hand corner of the building we were in. He then ordered me to sit on the floor at the spot where I was standing.
I scratched my hair and he yelled why I was scratching my hair.
I told him that a bug crawled up my hair of which he screamed that I am not allowed to scratch my hair as it could not be a bug since there was no light.
I kept quite and remained still.
After being interrogated for about 30 minute, we were then ordered to run to the ground directly opposite the officer’s mass. We were led down the road onto the steps to the ground up to a cement pitch which I presume is the cricket pitch.
We were told to lie face down with our arms beside us and chin us.
One of the soldiers asked me whether I was pregnant of which I said I was not sure. A pair of boots immediately jumped onto my lower and middle back and bounced on it for a few seconds.
The soldiers started calling us names and were swearing at us.
One of them walked to our faces and told us to kiss his boots which we did.
One of the soldiers started accusing me personally and mentioned Naisoro (a friend and colleague during the SIDL election campaign), Chang (a friend and a business client of my PR company) and Weleilakeba (my ex‑husband and now a live‑in partner) and asked, “so how many other men have you f*&
He accused me of stealing money from Chang and blamed me for corruption.
I could feel boots running over my body followed by kicks on my sides and slaps on my face. Another soldier slammed my neck and than my face against the cement with his boots. I turned my head to the right in pain while he trembled my face on the ground causing my cheek to graze against the cement ground.
I felt a toad placed between my thighs and I heard a soldier say that a toad be given to Virisila to hold.
She was lying face down next to me on my right and Imraz on my left.
Imraz was then told to crawl a distance forward and back again while they kicked him.
I than heard Pita and Jackie marshalled in forcefully and told to lie on the cement and the same treatment was also given to them.
The soldiers said that from the camp we should go straight to our democracy shrine in Lami and dismantle it and that they do not want to see any shrine when day light breaks because they did not want their soldiers to see any more of it.
The torture and verbal abuse went on for about 45 minutes until one of the soldiers ordered that we get up and run to the gate. We ran across the ground and jumped over a ditch. Virisila fell in the ditch since she couldn’t see too well after the soldiers smashed her glasses while we were lying at the cement pitch.
She managed to scramble out quickly. We stopped at the guardhouse by the gate to ask for our belongings but they told us to keep on running towards the main road which we did.
Pita Waqavonovono began to fall behind as he was very tired and I slowed down to be close to him.
Imraz, Jackie and Virisila were ahead of us as I was worried about Pita. After a while, I did not hear his footsteps behind me and when I turned back, I saw two soldiers pulling him back and beating him up so I decided to go back and help him but the soldiers angrily ordered me that I continue running forward or else I was going to get it too.
I caught up with the rest of the group at the main entrance to the camp at Mead Road and saw Ms Shameema Ali and other members of the Fiji Womens’ Rights Movement and Mrs Gina Pickering of RRRT.`
They hugged Virisila and asked us what happened when the soldiers told us to keep on running along Mead Road.
We continued running while the NGO car followed, together with two military van packed with armed soldiers who were shouting out, “Toso, toso”. We ran a while, walked and ran again when the soldiers shouted us to run. As we were nearing the turn off to Namadi Heights, the Namosi soldier appeared in his rental car and told us to walk as he could see that we were all very tired. We walked up the Mead Road hill and took the left turn off at Lovoni St, through Bureta St on to Princes Road.
We were passing Howard Place along Princes Road when Virisila’s partner got off a car to join us.
Further down at the Indian Ambassador’s Residence, Angie Heffernan, a member of an NGO got off a cab and ran towards us to find out what happened but we told her that we couldn’t talk much or stop as soldiers were behind us in their vans. As we turned off to Reservoir Road, I noticed Imraz’s twin cam parked opposite the Australian embassy together with the Namosi soldier’s rental car.
He stopped us and gave us our belongings and told us that we were free to go.
We bade farewell with merry Christmas hugs and kisses before Jackie, myself and Imraz left in Imraz’s car.
Virisila and her partner decided to find their own way home from there.
We were driving to our Lami office and democracy shrine when we were stopped by soldiers at the Delainavesi checkpoint. We waited in the car for about 5 minutes before they gave us the ok to proceed.
When we reached the office, we noticed that the pro‑democracy banners were stripped off, the main door to my top floor office was broken together with the door to the middle floor office. Both offices were trashed with graffiti on the wall saying Merry Xmas Happy New Year Laisa Chang.
I picked up the spray cans strewed on the ground and sprayed over my name.
Jackie was picked up by her grandmother and aunt while Imraz dropped me home at around 3.30am.
What an eventful X‑mas !
God Bless Fiji and its peoples and may democracy and law and order be restored soonest.
Laisa Digitaki
Terry, this is old news and has never been seriously disputed. But how is it evidence of Frank Bainimarama’s participation in torture and human rights abuses? All we have here is a sighting of his son at the camp and a soldier telling a relative of one of the detainees that he did not know Frank Bainimarama’s phone number.
The senior officer specifically named in these allegations is Pita Drita, who has been cut loose, is no longer part of the regime and is facing charges for allegedly plotting against Bainimarama.
So “here ya go” where, bro? It’s an account that has always been taken seriously, doesn’t reflect well on the military but is hardly conclusive proof of Bainimarama’s involvement, which is what has been alleged by others in these columns.
Do you have a statement from Bainimarama denying these allegations? Did you ask him in your interview? Do you have evidence that Digitaki’s statement is a total fabrication? You sound like a broken record mate..Constantly and predictably making excuses for the regime..
I couldn’t agree more with you Graham….
According to Swimming Australia’s website, Nick D’Arcy represented Australia in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India and in the 2010 Pan Pacific Games in the USA.
I’m intrigued as to why there’s now a fuss in the media over his possible selection for the Australian team to the Olympics since it seems that, rightly or wrongly, Swimming Australia had endorsed his fitness for participation in high profile international events quite some time ago.
Presumably Swimming Australia has considered Mr D’Arcy’s replies to its own selection criteria quite thoroughly:
*************
2012 Australian Olympic Team Consent to Shadow Team Membership
I consent to being a member of the Shadow Team for nomination by the above NF for selection to the 2012 Australian Olympic Team. I make this acknowledgement honestly and fully and confirm that this acknowledgement is not false or misleading:
6 (1) I have not at any time engaged in conduct (whether publicly known or not and whether before or after the date of my selection), which has brought, brings or would have the tendency to bring me or my sport into disrepute or censure, or which is or would have the tendency to be inconsistent with, contrary to or prejudicial to the best interests, image or values of the AOC or Team Sponsors, or as a result of which my membership would not be or would not likely be in the best interests of the 2012 Australian Olympic Team or the Shadow Team;
(2) I have not at any time (whether before or after the date of my selection) been convicted of, or charged with, any serious offence involving violence, alcohol or drugs, or any sex offence, or any offence relating to any betting or gambling activities on sport, or any offence which is punishable by imprisonment;
(3) I have and will continue to honestly and fully disclose information to my NF and the AOC concerning any conduct that might be in breach of (1) or (2) above or concerning any criminal offence of whatever nature, with which I have been charged, or of which the I have been convicted, and consent to my NF and the AOC making enquiries to relevant authorities for any details of my criminal record (if any), including details of any charges pending or any spent convictions disclosable by law, and consent to those authorities providing that information in answer to those enquiries;
(4) any matter arising under (1), (2) or (3) above is to be determined, or breach thereof excused, by the AOC in its sole and absolute discretion.
DISCLOSURE
(Please identify if there are any matters to be disclosed in respect of paragraph 6(1), (2) or (3) above ie identify any disreputable conduct, criminal convictions or criminal charges.)
*************
It might be educational for other talented Australian swimmers left out of the squad to know the circumstances leading to AOC’s apparent decision to invoke sub clause (4).
Do you have a statement from Bainimarama denying these allegations? Did you ask him in your interview? Do you have evidence that Digitaki’s statement is a total fabrication? You sound like a broken record mate..Constantly and predictably making excuses for the regime..
Terry,
Really, is this the best you could do. How about this…just get out of this site. Nobody is answerable to you. What have you done for your people besides making them drive on the other side of the road and toying with your alarm clock. Quite frankly you are so cheap and pathetic and quite an embarrasment to a lot of Samoans that I know.
Get out man…just go to Coup 4.5 or whatever they call themselves…and just know that your crap is not relevance to the people of Fiji. Oh and take your begging bowl when you go and don’t forget to take your Macdonald’s coupoun along courtesy of Aus and NZ.
yawn…f- off..
vinaka Terrior, my sentiments exactly….lol!
Congratulations Terry. You are the first person in the history of Grubsheet to tell anyone to F-Off.
I’m sure your boss – the prime minister of Samoa – must be deeply impressed with your powers of rational persuasion.
‘anyone’ is a coward and has no face..