Fiji Parliament suspends Bainimarama for incitement to hatred

Fiji’s parliament has suspended longtime former prime minister of the Pacific island nation Frank Bainimarama for three years on charges of hate speech and insulting the president.

Bainimarama ruled Fiji for 16 years after seizing power in a military coup until a national election in December saw a coalition of parties narrowly vote to install Sitiveni Rabuka as prime minister.

In a speech to parliament on Monday, Bainimarama criticized President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere for supporting the new government and appealed to the military that Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad said he wanted to “start an insurrection” and could not go unchallenged.

Fiji has a history of military coups, and its military commander in January warned the new Rabuka government against making “broad changes”.

Parliament on Friday night voted to suspend opposition leader Bainimarama from parliament until 2026 and bar him from the parliamentary district, urging him to apologize to the president and the public.

“Seditious language was used that is against the Rules of Procedure,” Lynda Tabuya, a member of the Privileges Committee that recommended the suspension, told parliament.

“The highest, most serious crime that can be committed in a country is treason,” Rabuka said in parliament.

Rabuka had called for leniency should Bainimarama apologise, but an amendment to shorten the suspension to 18 months was abandoned.

Bainimarama’s Fiji First Party denied that he had incited rebellion in his speech, pointing out that Bainimarama had received 29 percent of all votes in Fiji’s elections.

Fiji has been pivotal in the Pacific Islands region’s response to strategic competition between the United States and China and will host a gathering of 18 leaders from the Pacific Islands Forum next week.