Viliame Seruvakula

Viliame Seruvakula is a former Fijian military officer who played an instrumental role in the aftermath of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état. He is the son of former politician Ratu Semi Seruvakula.[1]

He attended Ratu Sukuna Memorial, Queen Victoria and Lelean Memorial Schools. He was a member of the Deans Trophy winning Lelean Under-19 Team side that defeated Ratu Kadavulevu School in the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union (FSSRU) competition finals in 1979.[2]

Seruvakula joined the army in the early 1980s and served in the Sinai Peninsula and in Lebanon from 1986 to 1987 as a platoon commander in the Charlie company of the First Battalion, Fiji Infantry Regiment. He opposed the 2000 coup, and when rebels from the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit mutinied at Suva's Queen Elizabeth Barracks on 2 November 2000, he led the third infantry battalion in a counter-offensive to retake the barracks from the rebels.[3][4]

Following the mutiny, Seruvakula made some controversial statements in the media. He alleged that he had been offered F$250,000 to support George Speight's attempted coup in May,[5][6][7] and that former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka (who led two coups in 1987) had incited the mutiny and attempted to overthrow the military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama.[8][9] His police statement became the subject of several investigations,[10] and Rabuka was charged but ultimately acquitted as a result of his allegations.[11]

Seruvakula joined the New Zealand Army in 2001.[6] He resigned from the military in early 2006 to take up a post with the Peace and Security division of the United Nations.[12]

References
  1. "Nasautoka Chief, Ratu Semi, Dies". Fiji Sun. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  2. "The RKS, QVS duels". Fiji Times. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  3. Bryant-Tokalau, Jenny; Frazer, Ian (2006). Redefining the Pacific?: regionalism past, present and future. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-7546-4673-0. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  4. "Another 61 Fiji soldiers to face court martial over 2000 coup and mutiny". RNZ. 2 April 2004. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  5. Frenḳel, Yehonatan Shimʻon; Fraenkel, Jon; Firth, Stewart (2007). From election to coup in Fiji: the 2006 campaign and its aftermath. ANU E Press. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-7315-3812-6. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  6. "Revelations in Fiji about coup cash bribe". RNZ. 19 April 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  7. "Fiji army colonel reportedly told police of prominent Indo-Fijian businessman behind coup". RNZ. 19 April 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. "Fiji army officer testifies against Sitiveni Rabuka". RNZ. 11 November 2006. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  9. "Former Fiji prime minister, police commissioner and Senator implicated in Seruvakula statement". RNZ. 25 April 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  10. "Fiji's police commissioner defends seizure of Seruvakula document". RNZ. 22 April 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  11. "Fiji court acquits Rabuka in mutiny case". RNZ. 11 December 2006. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  12. "Our Team in Papua New Guinea". United Nations. Retrieved 11 April 2023.

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