Fiji has emerged as an unlikely source of pressure on President Robert Mugabe’s regime.
After a Pacific Islands forum in Suva this week, Fiji was among the Commonwealth states to voice ”deep concern over the deteriorating situation” in Zimbabwe.
Noting Mugabe’s ”failure to respond to the calls of the international community to promote national reconciliation and the rule of law”, they urged further Commonwealth action.
The statement followed a call by New Zealand Premier Helen Clark for the expulsion of Zimbabwe, which was suspended from the Commonwealth for a year after its election in March. South Africa’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Aziz Pahad, hit back, saying New Zealand could not speak for the Commonwealth as a whole.
Fiji has complained about the contrast between the Commonwealth line on Zimbabwe and its rough handling of the Pacific island after its May 2000 military coup. In addition to suspension, it was subjected to trade, political, sporting and military sanctions.
Australian Premier John Howard this week said: ”The Commonwealth should be applying the same rules for everybody … I would certainly like the same actions against any Commonwealth member that falls into the situation Fiji was in a few years ago.”