Politics

Rabuka accepts blame for 1987 coup

April 9, 2022 8:00 am

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama [left] and People's Alliance Party Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka

The People’s Alliance Party Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka says Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama can blame him for the 1987 coup.

Responding to comments by Bainimarama that his military intervention in 2006 and the two coups perpetrated by Peoples’ Alliance leader Sitiveni Rabuka are nothing alike, Rabuka says he has gone through his atonement period.

Defending his two coups of 1987 Sitiveni Rabuka says his actions resulted in Fiji’s first indo-Fijian Prime Minister.

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“He can blame me, but I believe I have gone through my reparation period, 1997 proves that and everything and the very effect of very result of 1987 brought the first indo Fijian Prime Minister of Fiji, the former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.”

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama rejected critics drawing parallels between the two removals of government, saying his actions were not driven by ethno-nationalist ideals like that of Rabuka.

“His coup was a racist coup. Mine was to bring to the people of Fiji an even playing field. Recognising the Indo-Fijian problem that Rabuka had started. A lot of Indo-Fijians don’t seem to realize that – especially the young ones.”

Meanwhile, Rabuka claims there aren’t any racist members in his new party.