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IV. SITUATION OF FIJIANS ALLEGEDLY RECRUITED AS MERCENARIES IN BOUGAINVILLE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

43. Traditional forms of mercenarism persist in the region, as demonstrated in cases where former Fijian soldiers were recruited in 2005 to undertake mercenary activities in Papua New Guinea on the autonomous island province of Bougainville. In November 2005, it was reported that five to nine former Fijian soldiers had entered PNG illegally and were arming and training a private militia in a rebel-held area on the island of Bougainville. The Fijians were reportedly training a group of at least 30 men, led by rebel leader Noah Musingku, in a camp at Tonu in Siwai district, South Bougainville. The rebel leader claims that the Fijians were security guards for his bank.[24] Three Fijians left PNG sometime in January 2007 and a month later four Fijians surrendered to the Bougainville Police, while one Fijian reportedly remains in Tonu. Since their surrender, the four Fijians have been held in custody at Buka police station and could face charges of belonging to an illegal army and drilling and training with an illegal army.[25]

44. The Working Group was informed by a representative of the Royal Fiji Military Forces that the Army had taken special steps to distance itself from the situation. The acting Police Commissioner informed the Working Group of details of the events and of his experience of having been in the Solomon Islands at a time when 10 persons were recruited from Fiji and left via Honiara to the Solomon Islands towards Bougainville. In Honiara, the men were taken to a motel belonging to a Fijian businessman. Someone from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Fiji recognized the men and alerted the High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands in Papua New Guinea. The police in the Solomon Islands were duly informed and placed the Fijians under house arrest for three days before immigration officers sent them back to Fiji, while one member of the group escaped. The persons recruited had been told that transfer would be facilitated by an agent in Honiara and that all of their expenses would be reimbursed.

45. A representative of the High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea to Fiji informed the Working Group of its understanding of the events. The representative noted that in October 2005, some Fijians had left for Port Moresby for Bougainville pretending to be missionaries but in reality to perform security work for Noah Musingku. Mr. Musingku has run false pyramid schemes in Papua New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands, and styles himself as a “King of the Kingdom of South PNG/Bougainville”. However, the representative emphasized the position that Mr. Musingku is a con man, not a leader. Eight Fijians went to Bougainville, while three left voluntarily following action taken by the Government of Australia. A special envoy from the Government of Fiji travelled to Papua New Guinea, but the action was not successful and the individuals refused to leave. Three of them are now detained in Buka in Bougainville and have been charged with (i) illegal taking-up of arms; (ii) illegal possession of arms; and (iii) illegal immigration. One Fijian reportedly remains in Bougainville. The 10 Fijians in the Solomon Islands were intercepted by the PNG High Commissioner in the Solomon Islands and returned to Fiji, and should face charges. The representative noted that the reason why the police in Papua New Guinea have not taken action to intervene is due to the peace process and prior experiences.