Commadore Frank Bainimaramara
He has chosen to take power from the lawfully elected government. He has now given himself the title of “President”.
This man has betrayed the trust placed in him as the commander of the armed forces of his nation, and the citizens of that nation that he is sworn to protect.
He is a traitor to them, and there is only one possible sentence for a solider who does this.
December 6, 2006 at 5:26 pm
He is a traitor to them, and there is only one possible sentence for a solider who does this.
Does it involve a rope and a trapdoor?
December 6, 2006 at 5:54 pm
No.
The military shoots it’s failures.
December 6, 2006 at 6:14 pm
Not necessarily Murray.
The US army had a hangman during WW2 and he was kept quite busy.
Officially they use the needle now but haven’t actually used it yet though there are 9 candidates at Fort Levenworth.
The firing squad seems more honorable than the noose somehow
December 6, 2006 at 7:40 pm
Yeah well Union Jack in the canton, still part of the Commonwealth.
Busted to private (ordinary seaman) and shot.
December 6, 2006 at 9:40 pm
Yeah firing squad is too good for him. That is a honourable way to go.
December 6, 2006 at 10:03 pm
Uhmmm…actually I disagree…being a Fijian born individual myself I think we all need to actually understand how bent Qarase and his mates really are.
My mates who run and own businesses up in Fiji all say “Coup, Schmoo” It is actually a political situation rather than a civil situation. By and large coups do not effect the local populace in any way. Either they have bent Ratu’s or bent Soldiers, either way the government is bent.
December 7, 2006 at 3:34 am
He is a traitor to them, and there is only one possible sentence for a solider who does this.
Insist on calling him “Bananarama”? Can we put it on his tombstone?
December 7, 2006 at 8:32 am
My position is based on who not where.
Geography has nothing to do with a soldiers responsibilities. You have identified the matter yourself - it is a political one.
There is no gray area here. No difference to if General Matapare had said ok this election overspending thing is unacceptable and sent 1RNZIR down to Wellington Central cop shop and taken all glocks then strolled into parliament with with 2/1, locked up Clark and Cullen, nicked their car keys and announced he was now president of the Republic of Lesbania.
Palm trees, sand and an indifferent attitude don’t make it acceptable.
December 7, 2006 at 9:06 am
lock up the dear leader and the henchman? Now there’s a start
December 7, 2006 at 11:48 am
Thats really the point isn’t it.
The military does not make such decisions. It will enforce them is needed but it doesn’t get to make the call.
December 7, 2006 at 12:54 pm
I can’t find any bad points to your supposition…perhaps we could give General Matapaere a call.
I can’t say I think democracy is the be all and end all of the governmental systems…I prefer Benign Dictatorships…
So long as I am the dictator.
December 7, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Car keys? Where’s her broom?
December 7, 2006 at 5:59 pm
The RNZAF have it.
Their VIP plane has the code name “Broomstick One” when she’s on board.
ISYN
December 8, 2006 at 2:32 am
Heh.
December 8, 2006 at 8:22 am
Bananarama had a moral duty to do what he did. I only wish we had a man of his calibre in New Zealand.
He’s a hero. Give him a(nother) medal.
December 8, 2006 at 9:08 am
Wrong, incorrect, no, absolutely not. Opposite of correct. You can count yourself lucky that New Zealand produces soldiers or a much higher moral quality.
A soldiers moral duty is the exact opposite of what this man just did. Had he simply dismantled a failed government and handed over power to a caretaker (which is what he’s trying to make it look like) he might have something in mitigation for his court martial. He’d still be guilty but he might live.
Thats not what he did, he had declared himself president and is attempting to take total control of the country. Total military control, total censorship, naked use of force to impose his personal will, the appointment of dubious puppets with faux legality.
He claims to be protecting everyone. It is clear that what he is protecting them from is him.
For every one person here you find to go yeah right on baby lets do the same I will find ten in uniform who will say no.
I suggest you take a quick flip through the oath or attestation that all servicemen take when they are sworn in. While most New Zealander’s may have been conditioned into thinking that such an oath is meaningless and that because politicians are openly corrupt that the same standard is acceptable from everyone else but you’ll find most people who join up - particularly in teeth arms - take such things more seriously.
Were I given and order to take part in an attempt to take military control of my country I would refuse it. I cannot think of any soldier who has been under my command who would follow such an order.
If the GG issued instructions then I’m cocked locked and ready to rock. Till then we have elections and the right to both speak our minds and protest.
If you like the “one gun, one vote” system piss off to Iraq and see how it pans out for you.
Hero my hairy white ass. Don’t even bother with the one blank round for that firing squad.
December 8, 2006 at 10:42 am
So who is legally the commander in chief, PM or GG?
December 8, 2006 at 11:10 am
GG.
The PM isn’t even in the chain of command, the Minister of Defence is. Instructions come via him from the cabinet with rubber stamp by the GG.
December 8, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Murray, while I agree with your sentiments completely, I think it is your self-proclaimed ‘white ass’ that has a lot to do with your moral stance here.
Bainimarama has a brown ass and hence he doesn’t fully live by the finer moral niceties of your democratic sensibilities. General Matapare also has a brown ass, as do an overwhelming proportion of our army. Watch this space in 10 years’ time when Gen Matapare’s successor decides that for the sake of indigenous rights, he is unavoidably forced to proclaim the Republic Of Aotearoa from the steps of a still-smouldering ex-parliament building.
Please convince me I am wrong.
December 8, 2006 at 3:47 pm
When the brown asses take over they will find the till empty as the front ass dear leader had spent it all on sorry ass liberal causes. The sunburnt ass farmers who provided the white ass liberals with their sorry ass funds will be broke ass and the brown asses can haul ass back to the bush and hunt ponga bears to keep their fat tattoo-ed asses in the manner to which they have become accustomed.
December 8, 2006 at 5:50 pm
overwhelming proportion, my arse!