War on drugs: Fiji soldiers may be deployed to assist police - govt

Fiji’s government has announced that military personnel may soon join police in addressing the country’s drug crisis.

Pio Tikoduadua, the Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, confirmed this week that Fiji’s Police Force has requested assistance from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF).

But he clarified that the army would only play a supporting role.

The minister told a media conference in Suva on Wednesday that the military’s primary responsibility is to ensure the Fijian people's security, defence, and welfare.

He also assured Fijians, still concerned about the military, that there is “nothing to fear” as he thanked the RFMF for its steadfastness.

“We have come a long way in terms of reconciliation and restoration. There has been a lot of inner healing within the military,” Tikoduadua said.

“Now, we are defining their role under the NSS [National Security Strategy] to ensure that their involvement is consistent with the law.”

Tikoduadua says the military is an institution that protects the very fabric of society and is prepared to act whenever the public's welfare is at risk.

“However, we must also acknowledge the deliberate boundaries between civilian governance and the military's role.

Fiji’s largest drug bust of four tonnes of methamphetamine was seized in Nadi last year. Photo/Fiji Police

“The RFMF’s readiness does not mean it is the first solution to every challenge the nation faces.

“Deploying the military is a serious decision that must only be made as a last resort, and only in situations where civilian mechanisms have been fully utilised and found insufficient.”

He stressed that deploying the military is a serious decision that should only be made as a last resort when civilian mechanisms have been fully utilised and proven insufficient.

Tikoduadua’s announcement comes as the Pacific region has recently experienced a surge in drug busts, several of which have resulted in arrests and pending court cases.

Officials say the region is struggling to recruit police officers amid rising drug-related violence.

Other challenges include technology, resources, and maintaining enough officers in the police force.

Pio Tikoduadua, the Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, inspects a military guard of honour. Photo/RFMF

Tikoduadua said the determination of a “last resort” would need to come from Fiji’s Police Commissioner.

He said the complex nature of the drug issue in Fiji required a focus on societal problems that are interlinked with this crisis, such as poverty, limited employment opportunities, challenges within Fiji’s national education system, family disruptions, and difficulties in accessing medical and rehabilitation services.

The minister said increasing arrests or deploying the armed forces would not resolve these systemic issues.

“We have always believed that the RFMF is a pillar of stability for the nation, but its involvement in domestic issues must remain exceptional, not routine.

“The primary role of combating drugs in Fiji in the drug situation is a police role. The RFMF, it’s not their primary role to deal with this issue.”

Tikoduadua said any associated financial costs would be assessed only if the military’s services were needed.

During a regional police chiefs' conference in Fiji in September, delegates agreed that while funding recruits is not an immediate concern, police officers' mobility is important, as many would prefer to work closer to home.

A Tongan drug bust in August put a spotlight on transnational criminal links in the Pacific.

Two police raids at several locations across Tongatapu seized 6.1kg of methamphetamine, cash, and money-counting machines, leading to 17 arrests, including one man deported from Australia with reported connections to the Commancheros motorcycle gang.

Deportees from New Zealand, Australia, and the United States for criminal activity have been a contentious issue in the region, with many blaming these individuals for the increase in crime.

Australian federal police data reveal that the Comancheros gang has members who were deported from Australia to New Zealand, creating connections to transnational crime.

Since 1998, over 1000 criminals have been returned to Tonga, most of whom have arrived since 2010 and come from the US.

However, New Zealand and Australia are also key deporting states, and many criminals have spent little time in Tonga but retain citizenship.

It is a common belief in the Pacific that deportees often learn criminal behaviour overseas, where the “underlying social issues actually originate”.

Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said he had not received the investigation report of Fiji’s largest drug bust of four tonnes of methamphetamine seized in Nadi last year.

Speaking to about 100 customs officers at the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) in Suva on Wednesday, Rabuka said it was a good day to reflect on their duty to the nation.

He encouraged the officers to carry out their duties diligently and always be alert.

Fiji's military has been approached for comment.

Identified trafficking routes of cocaine impacting the Pacific. Photo/UNODC