Ahead of the third Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) summit, Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has made a public apology for his role in the 1987 military coup that overthrew the elected government of Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra. Timoci was the first Indo-Fijian PM of the Pacific country that has a significant number of Indian-origin people.
34 years on today, Professor Tupeni Baba speaks about the May 14th 1987 coup led by Rabuka
34 years on today, Professor Tupeni Baba speaks about the May 14th 1987 coup led by Rabuka
Professor Tupeni Baba in 1987 (Getty Images and Sitiveni Rabuka in 1987 (Fairfax Media)
At 10am, May 14th, 1987, the first coup was staged in Fiji led by the third-ranked military officer in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Sitiveni Rabuka.
This changed Fiji forever and as we mark 34 years of that event today, Professor Tupeni Baba who was part of the then Doctor Timoci Bavadra led government said it is unfortunate that the 1987 coup occurred as it also started off the culture of coups.