SUVA (Pacific Media Watch): As Fijian fugitive Ratu Tevita Mara waits in Australia pending his visit to New Zealand, his extended family have reportedly apologised to military ruler and Prime Minister Voreqe Frank Bainimarama.
Two different reports were published today in the Fiji Times and Fiji Sun respectively, concerning the matanigasau, or traditional apology, issued by the chiefly Vuanirewa clan in Tubou, Lakeba.
Lakeba is situated in the Lau group of islands, to the east of Viti Levu. It is Ratu Tevita Mara’s traditional family heartland.
The information came from the Fiji government’s own press release. The Fiji Sun quoted Reverend Logavatu as saying:
“We are sorry for what we have done. Our chiefs and the people of Lakeba have come to ask you to forgive us and to accept us. The actions of some of our people have tarnished our names and image.”
Disputed facts
Just what exactly their “actions” were, apart from Ratu Tevita’s own actions, remain unclear.
Certainly Bainimarama was not going to probe any further. He still maintains that the fugitive was collected by the Tongan navy vessel a nautical mile from the island of Kadavu, well within Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and a good distance from the Lau group.
The Tongan Navy and news reports from Tonga maintain that Mara was rescued south of the Ono-i-Lau group, much closer to Tonga than the island of Kadavu.
Bainimarama claimed several witnesses attested Ratu Tevita Mara was present at the Nagigia Island Resort on Kadavu.
Nagigia Island resort chef Brian Batini and resort worker Apisai Bolatuku both spoke to FBC news about Mara’s alleged presence on the island. However, Bolatuku did tell the Fiji Sun that he was “surprised” to find out the man he took on the fishing vessel was Ratu Mara himself.
Ratu Mara has since denied his own family had apologised to Bainimarama. He said they were absent from the ceremony at which two members of the clan apologised without proper consent from the clan.
"This apology was made without the consent of the senior members of the clan and none were present at the Matanigasau," he said in his latest press release today.
"To make sure all went to plan, Bainimarama dispatched a Lauan soldier called Malolo to Lakeba one week in advance. It was his job to make sure that a ceremony took place. Even using threats, he was only able to force two junior members of the Vuanirewa clan to attend."
Ratu Mara said Bainimarama had used a "stick and carrot" approach to the people of Lau, by building their jetty and threatening to cut them off from Government funds if they didn't show their support.
Visit to NZ
Ratu Tevita Mara’s Truth for Fiji spokespeople said they were “keeping Mara’s movements under wraps” in light of Fiji’s decision to file extradition papers with the Australian courts.
They did confirm, however, that Mara will be in New Zealand before the end of the month.
Mara said he didn’t mind the fact that Fiji was chasing him around the Pacific with extradition papers.
“I will be very happy for my case to be heard in the Australian courts,” he said.
“It will be a chance for me to put my side of the story under oath and under cross-examination. I have faith in the Australian legal system whereas we all know I will not get a fair hearing in Fiji."
Alex Perrottet
