Fijian human rights body pledges full investigation
Posted 3rd November 2000
Photos show wounded during barrackroom shootout, source Fiji's Daily Post

SUVA: Fiji's Human Rights Commission today promised to carry out a full investigation into the deaths of rebel soldiers and of prison escapee Alifereti Nimacere in the mutiny and subsequent military manhunt, according to local media reports. Pacnews regional news cooperative quoted commission chairperson Justice Sailosi Kepa as saying he would contact the authorities for a report but "until then, it would be premature to make allegations of human rights violations. "However, Justice Kepa said he wanted to stress that no one was above the law and that justice should take its normal course no matter how serious the crime allegedly committed was," a commission statement said. The Fiji military was today trying to stave off criticisms that loyalist soldiers had used excessive force in putting down the mutiny, Pacnews reported. Radio Fiji today quoted hospital sources as saying some of the five rebel soldiers died from severe head wounds. Three loyalist soldiers also died in the capture of the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in suburban Nabua and following assault by military forces on Thursday. The military were first questioned about this by the radio's news director, Vasiti Waqa, in early bulletins yesterday. Ms Waqa was one of three staff of the radio station detained for seven hours on October 20 over a controversial report exposing serious rifts within the military. According to Pacnews, the radio said today it had "yet to be determined whether some of these soldiers died from gunshots or from heavy beating inflicted by soldiers loyal to the military commander, Commodore [Frank] Bainimarama". Further speculation about "heavy army tactics" was sparked with the arrest last night of notorious prisoner Nimacere who had been on the run for the past three months, Pacnews reported. "Military spokesman Major Howard Politini went 'live' on Radio Fiji about 11pm last night to announce the arrest of Alifereti Nimacere from a home in a suburb in the capital Suva, only to confirm early this morning that the prisoner had died," Pacnews said. Major Politini could not say whether the prisoner was shot by soldiers or whether he had died from the beatings inflicted by arresting officers, Pacnews reported. He said this would be answered once their investigations were completed. According to Pacnews, Major Politini could only confirm that the prisoner was armed with a pistol when soldiers arrived at the home to arrest him. Military and police authorities believed Nimacere was involved in the ambush of a security forces patrol at a rural settlement near the airport town of Nausori in August when a soldier and a policeman were shot dead. It is understood that international human rights groups had taken an interest in Nimacere when he was severely beaten up by police after being recaptured from an earlier escape last year.

Military speak out on nimacere's death
By Tamani Nair, USP's Pacific Journalism Online

SUVA: Prison fugitive Alifereti Nimacere reached for his gun and tried to flee from his hideout house when Fiji military forces searching for him opened fire, a military spokesperson said today. Major Howard Politini said Nimacere told Radio Fiji that he died while being taken to the military barracks last night. He was responding to allegations in the media of human rights violations by the military over Nimacere's death. Nimacere was captured by troops hunting for escaped rebels following a mutiny on Thursday in which eight soldiers were killed in a battle at Suva's Queen Elizabeth Barracks. The Fiji Times today reported an eyewitness who said he saw soldiers "kick and punch Nimacere before hitting them with the butts of their firearms". Radio Fiji quoted Major Politini as saying the military had responded to a tip-off from a policeman that he was in a house in his home village of Nadonumai, near Lami, a seaside township on the outskirts of Suva. "The area was cordoned off and we moved into the house which we believe that he was sitting inside, drinking whatever," Major Politini said. "He was identified by the person who told us and as the soldiers moved in. He reached for his weapon and wanted to run out of the house, after us telling him not to do so. "But he still pulled out his gun and he was shot in our response and the result of two gunshots. "He died as was being brought to the [Queen Elizabeth Barracks] military camp." Major Politini said Nimacere had been involved in the ambush at a rural settlement in Navuso in August when one army officer and one policeman were shot dead and three others seriously wounded. According to the Fiji Times, residents of Nadonumai were in a state of shock after the shootout with Nimacere. "One man who witnessed the assault said he saw soldiers kick and punch Nimacere before hitting him with the butts of their firearms on a concrete stairway," the paper said. "'It was a sore sight. "'Then they bound him on their vehicle and continued to assault him while driving away,' the witness said." A young mother told the Fiji Times it was the first time such a horrifying incident had happened in the village. "We are scared and feel restricted in our movements now because soldiers are continually patrolling the streets," the woman said. Medical superintendent Dr Salimoni Tuqa told the newspaper Nimacere was already dead when taken to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva at 12.30am today. He was earlier reported to have been seized about 10pm last night.