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Jone Baledrokadroka

Summary

Jone Baledrokadroka is a Fijian academic and former soldier who served briefly as Republic of Fiji Military Forces Land Force Commander in January 2006. He was dismissed from the post after only four days after RFMF Commander Frank Bainimarama accused him of planning a mutiny. He is the son of former senator and Taukei ni Waluvu Ratu Alipate Baledrokadroka and the brother of Senator Adi Lagamu Vuiyasawa.[1] He is also the uncle for New Zealand netballer Erikana Pedersen.[2]

Early life edit

Baledrokadroka is from the village of Nairukuruku in Naitasiri Province.[3] He was educated at the Marist Brothers High School in Suva and De La Salle College, Māngere East, before attending Auckland University of Technology, where he studied civil engineering.[4]

Military career edit

Baledrokadroka joined the Army in 1981[3] and was commissioned after attending an Officers commissioning course in Fiji. Prior to his appointment as Acting Land Force Commander, Baledrokadroka had attended the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Australian Defence College, Canberra, in 2003.

On 10 January 2006 Baledrokadroka assumed the position of Land Force Commander.[5][6] He was relieved of the position and sent on leave four days later after a disagreement with RFMF Commander Frank Bainimarama.[7][8] Bainimarama subsequently accused him of planning a mutiny[9] and of plotting with Home Affairs chief executive Lesi Korovavala to remove him;[10] Baledrokadroka claimed that Bainimarama had given instructions for illegal and treasonous acts.[5] Bainimarama subsequently appointed a board of inquiry to investigate the matter,[11] but Baledrokadroka refused to cooperate.[12][13]

In April 2006 the RFMF announced that Baledrokadroka would face a court-martial.[14] Baledrokadroka fled to New Zealand.[15] The lack of an extradition treaty between Fiji and New Zealand meant that he could not be extradited to face a court-martial.[16]

In September 2006 Fiji's Public Service Commission shortlisted him for a job as Commissioner of Corrections, causing tensions with the military.[17][18] The military repeatedly threatened to court-martial Baledrokadroka if he was appointed, and appointed a prosecutor.[19] Ultimately the Commission was not satisfied with either candidate, and Baledrokadroka was not appointed.[20] The army finally suspended its investigation in January 2007 in the aftermath of the 2006 Fijian coup d'état.[21]

Post-military edit

In November 2007 he was arrested alongside his father-in-law Ratu Inoke Takiveikata and businessman Ballu Khan and accused of being part of a plot to assassinate Bainimarama.[22] He was subsequently charged with inciting mutiny and conspiracy to murder.[23] After being imprisoned for 40 days, he was granted bail.[3] In November 2008, when granting a permanent stay of proceedings against Khan, the High Court of Fiji raised doubts about the evidence against Baledrokadroka.[24] The charges were subsequently dropped in December 2008.[3][25]

Following his acquittal, Baledrokadroka moved to Australia and applied for asylum.[26] He studied for a PhD in politics at Australian National University.[4] His thesis, completed in 2012, was on Sacred king and warrior chief : the role of the military in Fiji politics,[27] and called for reform of the Fijian military and its ethos to ensure subservience to civilian authority.[28] He also campaigned against the military regime from Australia,[29] and was an organiser of the Fiji Democracy and Freedom movement.[30] In 2012, in the leadup to the general elections scheduled for 2014, the first since the 2006 coup, he expressed scepticism about whether the Military would allow the vote to be free and fair. "The path in this progress towards democracy has been fraught with allegations of continuing military oversight and interference in the constitution-making process," he wrote in an Australian National University journal. "And it is possible that the new Constitution, once it has been finalised by Bainimarama’s handpicked Constituent Assembly, might become a setback to democracy by spawning a military backed one-party state."[31]

In April 2023 he was appointed by Fiji's newly-elected coalition government to head a review into restoring the Great Council of Chiefs.[32]

References edit

  1. ^ "President appoints woman to Senate". Fiji Times. 5 November 2005. p. 15 – via EBSCOHost.
  2. ^ "Naitasiri's Silver Fern: Erikana Pedersen Baledrokadroka". fijisun.com.fj. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Baledrokadroka celebrates his freedom". Fiji Sun. 27 December 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b Siteri Sauvakacolo (12 February 2023). "The journey of retired colonel Dr Ratu Jone Baledrokadroka". Fiji Times. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b David Fisher (16 January 2006). "Fiji crisis: Interview with Jone Baledrokadroka". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Baledrokadroka heads Land Force". Fiji Times. 13 January 2006. p. 2 – via EBSCOHost.
  7. ^ "Fiji military head sacks Land Force Commander after reported rift". RNZ. 14 January 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Fiji Army man fired amid coup talk". New Zealand Herald. 14 January 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Fiji military boss claims death threat in last week's alleged attempted mutiny". RNZ. 16 January 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Fiji military asks for removal of home affairs ministry chief executive". RNZ. 18 January 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Fiji board probes sacked land force commander". RNZ. 25 January 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Sacked Fiji top officer refuses board hearing on alleged mutiny". RNZ. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Fiji army officer appears before military inquiry into last month's standoff with his commander". RNZ. 2 February 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Two top Fiji officers linked to mutiny plot resign". RNZ. 5 April 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Fiji commander wanted over mutiny safe in NZ". RNZ. 28 April 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  16. ^ "NZ says no Fiji request to extradite officer for court-martial". RNZ. 2 May 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Fiji mutiny suspect in run for top prisons job". RNZ. 28 September 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Fiji's military angry that rebel officer still in line for top job". RNZ. 10 October 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  19. ^ "Aziz to lead army in trial". Fiji Times. 11 October 2006. p. 5 – via EBSCOHost.
  20. ^ "Controversial Fiji army officer deemed not suitable to be commissioner of prisons". RNZ. 12 October 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  21. ^ "Military probe put on hold". Fiji Times. 11 January 2007. p. 4 – via EBSCOHost.
  22. ^ "More arrests threatened in Fiji over alleged plot against the government". RNZ. 5 November 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  23. ^ "10 people charged with Fiji assassination plot to reappear in court today". RNZ. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  24. ^ "DPP defends kill plot charges". Fiji Sun. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  25. ^ "Baledrokadroka is free". Fiji Times. 25 December 2008 – via EBSCOHost.
  26. ^ "Fiji's ex-commander seeks asylum". ABC. 5 November 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  27. ^ Baledrokadroka, Jone (January 2012). Sacred king and warrior chief : the role of the military in Fiji politics (PhD). Australian National University.
  28. ^ "Former Fiji military commander suggests commission to tackle military mindset". RNZ. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  29. ^ "Drop in foreign work may impact Fiji military". RNZ. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  30. ^ "Australian-based Fiji democracy group calls for caretaker PM". RNZ. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  31. ^ Baledrokadroka, Jone. "Democracy for Fiji?". ANU College of Asia & the Pacific. Australian National University. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  32. ^ "Great Council of Chiefs review team appointed". Fiji One News. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.

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