Fiji Peacekeeping Association has registered their disappointment on Australia and New Zealand at their recent lobby at the United Nations General Assembly to bar Fiji troops from participation to further UN sponsored peacekeeping missions.
Association Secretary, Tomasi Koroisavulevu said our neighbors have seen it fit for their own reasons to lobby against Fiji troops participation in further UN missions.
It is a treatment, the association says is hardly expected from a neighbor of Australia and New Zealand’s maturity and the UN should not premise its decision based on shallow political consideration.
Mr Koroisavulevu said Fiji’s record speaks of itself and lives of Fiji’s sons have been lost as Fiji answered the UN’s call in the name of international peace and stability.
“ It is Fiji’s unconditional contribution to the security and well being of the community of Nations and based on the record, the UN must make its decisions accordingly and for UN to base its decisions on other unconnected reasons is a betrayal of our longstanding loyalty to the UN, “ he said.
“ They do not only hinder Fiji’s contribution as part of the UN peace initiatives but they are in the same process interfering with member nations unconditional contribution to world peace and UN member countries that desperately need this assistance are denied in the same way by this level of underhand political blocking.
Mr Koroisavulevu said the association hopes that the Secretary General of the UN is aware of these things for the sake of those who commit their lives to lasting universal peace and stability.
In a letter to the Prime Minister Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, the association has requested that their views be known to the United Nations.
“The ramifications of UN’s decision to curtail Fiji’s contributions to international peace and stability does not only affect members in an abstract way but Fiji is a very realistic and practical way.