ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
Two groups opposed to the military regime in Fiji have joined forces in a bid to put pressure on the coup-installed government in Fiji.
The Sydney and Auckland based pro-democracy groups say they intend to help bring down the Bainimarama government by working with the country's trade union movement.
The Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement president Usaia Waqatairewa told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat programme that international pressure on the interim government through sanctions would force it to call fresh elections and return to the 1997 Constitution.
The Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement, established in 2009, is based in Sydney, Australia.
Waqatairewa says he met leaders of another group dedicated to the same goal, the Coalition for Democracy in Fiji, in New Zealand at the weekend. The Coalition for Democracy in Fiji was formed in 1987, at the time of Fiji’s first military coup.
The Auckland group, headed by Nik Naidu, recently accused former Fiji Lieutenant Ratu Tevita Mara, currently on a tour of Pacific Forum nations to promote democracy in Fiji, of complicity in physical abuses of Fiji citizens, including murder.
The group is based in Auckland, New Zealand. He says the two groups agreed to work together but supported different tactics.
Meanwhile, the copper mining project that is intended to begin in Namosi next year will inject approximately FJ$2 billion [US$1,161,770,000] into Fiji’s economy.
This was confirmed by Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, Filimoni Kau who said the investment from the Namosi Joint Venture will be a “huge boost to our national economy” and will generate a significant amount of economic activity.
The Namosi Joint Venture includes Australian company Newcrest Mining Ltd., and Japanese mining companies Nittetsu Mining Co Ltd., and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation.]
“The NJV has indicated its intentions to progress from exploration to actual mining by acquiring a mining license in 2012.
“The visit today was therefore essential for the senior advisors in government to be updated on the progress of works and to also identify their respective areas of responsibility with the view towards facilitating the mandatory requirements,” Mr Kau said in a statement.
“At the same time, government has an overriding responsibility to ensure that the project is well managed to reduce its impacts especially on the environment.”
Two groups opposed to the military regime in Fiji have joined forces in a bid to put pressure on the coup-installed government in Fiji. The Sydney and Auckland based pro-democracy groups say they intend to help bring down the Bainimarama government by working with the country's trade union...
Two groups opposed to the military regime in Fiji have joined forces in a bid to put pressure on the coup-installed government in Fiji.
The Sydney and Auckland based pro-democracy groups say they intend to help bring down the Bainimarama government by working with the country's trade union movement.
The Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement president Usaia Waqatairewa told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat programme that international pressure on the interim government through sanctions would force it to call fresh elections and return to the 1997 Constitution.
The Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement, established in 2009, is based in Sydney, Australia.
Waqatairewa says he met leaders of another group dedicated to the same goal, the Coalition for Democracy in Fiji, in New Zealand at the weekend. The Coalition for Democracy in Fiji was formed in 1987, at the time of Fiji’s first military coup.
The Auckland group, headed by Nik Naidu, recently accused former Fiji Lieutenant Ratu Tevita Mara, currently on a tour of Pacific Forum nations to promote democracy in Fiji, of complicity in physical abuses of Fiji citizens, including murder.
The group is based in Auckland, New Zealand. He says the two groups agreed to work together but supported different tactics.
Meanwhile, the copper mining project that is intended to begin in Namosi next year will inject approximately FJ$2 billion [US$1,161,770,000] into Fiji’s economy.
This was confirmed by Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, Filimoni Kau who said the investment from the Namosi Joint Venture will be a “huge boost to our national economy” and will generate a significant amount of economic activity.
The Namosi Joint Venture includes Australian company Newcrest Mining Ltd., and Japanese mining companies Nittetsu Mining Co Ltd., and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation.]
“The NJV has indicated its intentions to progress from exploration to actual mining by acquiring a mining license in 2012.
“The visit today was therefore essential for the senior advisors in government to be updated on the progress of works and to also identify their respective areas of responsibility with the view towards facilitating the mandatory requirements,” Mr Kau said in a statement.
“At the same time, government has an overriding responsibility to ensure that the project is well managed to reduce its impacts especially on the environment.”
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