Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
A Fijian is calling for strict limits on domestic military deployments, warning that gaps in the Constitution could allow political disputes to escalate into
military intervention.
Sakaraia Navuda told the special committee reviewing the Constitution Amendment Bill that the Constitution must clearly define the military’s role, establish firm safeguards for deployments and protect the authority of elected leaders.
The submission is proposing a four-member Supreme Defence Council to approve or reject requests from the Prime Minister for domestic military deployments.
“Let us write it clearly. Sovereignty belongs to the people of Fiji, through their words and their parliament. An external threat means an attack from the foreign force confirmed by parliament.”
Navuda says sovereignty belongs to the people of Fiji and must be exercised through their representatives in Parliament.
“Honorable members, please do not leave the gaps open. Let us make the Army of Fiji always answer, not to any political group, not to any ethnic group, only to the people.”
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the proposed constitutional changes remain open for discussion.
The submission places the military’s role and the limits of its powers at the centre of the constitutional review, with a focus on preventing political disagreements from escalating into military crises.
