12 Apr 2004

Fiji movement questions relevance of further Australian police help

11:18 am on 12 April 2004

The President of the Fiji Citizens Freedom Movement, James Bachu, says the arrival of another Australian intelligence officer to assess local investigations could be in vain.

The officer is to study the files on the agriculture ministry scam before the last elections amid claims that it amounted to vote-buying.

The officer is also to look at files about police allegedly involved in the 2000 coup.

Mr Bachu says there is obstruction within the police force and he also says some of the blame has to be placed with the Fiji media for failing to be vigilant and for siding with the pwoerful.

"It can make criminals look like heroes, it can make heroes look like criminals. As you can see with the 1987 coups, we have the major-general Sitiveni Rabuka. He became a hero when he had committed a crime against the state."

The President of the Fiji Citizens Freedom Movement, James Bachu.