The death of the CRW soldiers

http://www.fijisun.com.fj/ – 3/18/2009

- Voreqe as the army chief should know that he will never rest until this murder is resolved and the murderers brought to justice. We all know that the Police were close to making arrests on suspects at the camp for this murder. I am glad to know that the file on this case is well preserved and safe and that one day all those involved, and those who gave the orders, will have their day in court and then to a long session in jail. This is surely what Voreqe and his supporters are having sleepless nights over!!

http://wwwfijicoup2006.blogspot.com     “Since leaving Fiji, sacked Police Commissioner Hughes, an Australian, has said one reason for the coup was self-preservation on Bainimarama’s part. “He’s been resistant to the investigation into the murder of the Counter-Revolutionary Warfare soldiers in 2000,” Hughes told ABC News. “We believe he has some questions to answer in that regard himself.” Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer shares Hughes’ view. “I think, in particular, Commodore Bainimarama is deeply concerned about investigations by the police into the Fiji military itself,” he told ABC Radio. A senior Fiji police officer tells Time he and his colleagues have new evidence suggesting some of the “top [military] brass ordered the actions.” Now, he says, they are bracing for the day when soldiers march in and remove their files. But “We’ve got copies,” he says. “We won’t give up.” Ana Kalounivale may get justice yet”.

Nine years after the mysterious deaths of the five Counter Revolutionary Warfare soldiers at the Queen Elizabeth’s Barracks, Ms Ana Kalounivale, the wife of one of the deceased Selesitino Kalounivale, calls for fresh investigation into the matter.
All she wants is the truth surrounding the death of her beloved husband.

“All I want is the truth about the death of my husband,” Ms Kalounivale said.

The five that were killed on that fateful night were Selesitino Kalounivale, Jone Davui, Epeneri Bainimoli, Lagani Rokowaqa and Iowane Waseroma.

Surely, Ms Kalounivale said, these innocent soldiers did not deserve the barbaric treatment dished on their husbands their own brothers that led to their deaths.

The truth, she said, is out there but no one seems to bother to carry out an investigation so that mystery surrounding the deaths s made publicly.

It is an undisputed fact according to Ms Kalounivale that that the five CRW soldiers were murdered at the military camp.

“That night the military camp turned into a killing field,” Ms Kalounivale said.

What really happened that night remains a mystery till today and according to Ms Kalounivale it is this mystery that she wants solved.

Who is going to solve this murder mystery?

Surely the answer is there at the camp but no one is brave enough, like a true soldier to come out and tell the truth.

This I must admit was an avoidable tragedy.

Ms Kalounivale could vividly remember that fateful morning when she said goodbye to her beloved husband not knowing that it was the last.

“If only I had known what would happen that day I would have stayed with him at home.”

Below is an account of what happened to Mr Kalounivale that day as extracted from the court ruling on Ms Kalounivale’s Workers Compensation Act case.

This is an established truth.

In the judgment resident magistrate Ajmal Gulab Khan confirmed the late Kalounivale died on 3rd November 2000 from injuries received to his body.

He said in his judgment – “The basic facts are undisputed and what I find are as follows:

n On 2nd November 2000 he was at home attending to his sick child while his wife was at work.

n Around 3.30pm on 2nd November 2000 he left home after receiving a phone call. He informed his wife he was going to work.

n Meanwhile at the camp some CRW soldiers were involved in a mutiny where they had taken over the camp. The army set up a special operation as if it was a battle situation. The camp was taken over by CRW at about 3.30pm and retaken by the military around 6pm that day.

n He had his knapsack bag and was in civilian clothing. He was later picked up by soldiers in Tamavua area. His knapsack was searched and it contained camouflaged army trousers, detonator, cord, knife and a water container. He was taken to the Army Commander Commodore Bainimarama at the Naval Base. After some half hour the soldiers were instructed by the Commander to take the deceased to the Central Police Station. He was handed over to CPS.

n After 4pm that day Selesitino was seen taken out of CPS along Pratt Street in an army van by 4 – 5 soldiers. He was on floor of the van and the bystanders could and hear swearing, hitting with rifle butts and kicking at the back of the tray. Around midnight on 2.11.2000 he was taken to the mortuary. Due to the curfew no one could go out that night. The next morning the wife went and identified the deceased at the hospital. Post mortem was conducted on 8th November 2000.of death was found to be “multiple blunt force injuries including head injuries with sub-dural haemorrage.” The deceased body had a number of recent injuries.

Those are established truths about the late Kalounivale.

The unknown truth is who was responsible for the injuries that caused the death.

Mr Kalounivale died from injuries sustained while in camp and this is an established truth.

According to the post mortem report, the deceased arrived at the mortuary wrapped in bloodstained hospital sheets.

The doctor said – “I was told that a number of patients had arrived at hospital unclothed. I asked for the whereabouts of the deceased clothes.”

According to the doctor the deceased was wearing only a light aqua-coloured underpants.

It has been nine years now.

When Mr Kalounivale died his eldest son SabarianoKalounivale was only nine-years-old and he is now 18. Lario was seven years old and s now 16, his namesake was only four- years-old and is now 13 and his youngest daughter Tania was 11 months and now she is eight- years-old.

Ms Kalounivale said all she wants now is the truth as her children have grown up and have every right to know what really happened to their father.

She said the clean up campaign was good but she urged the Commander of the military to open up another investigation to clear the air on the killing of the CRW soldiers.

“I believe the clean up should begin from the camp.”

The doctor who conducted the five hour post mortem in his conclusion said – “He (Selesitino Kalounivale) sustained numerous blunt impacts, particularly to the head but also to the chest and abdomen. All compartments of the head – front and back of scalp, forehead, eyes cheeks, mouth has received multiple blows. These have resulted in bleeding around the brain. The pattern of injuries indicate that this man has been severely assaulted.”

As for Mr Kalounivale all that has to be established is the pick up point from the camp and who handed the body to those in the ambulance.

Another question that comes to mind is who gave the orders for the killing?

We know that soldiers operate under strict orders.

The commander has repeatedly denied any responsibility for the deaths of the five CRW soldiers. “I never gave any orders to kill,” he said in 2003

Who else can give the orders?

Is this case still open?

What has happened to the investigations that were carried out by police on this particular case?

Where are the investigation files?

Mr Kalounivale was not part of the mutiny but was taken in and later died.

Will the truth of the killing at the barracks be revealed?

Where is justice?

Can someone stand up and reveal the truth?

It is a fact that the tortuous acts that led to the deaths of the five CRW soldiers was carried out through an order from higher authorities in the military.

It is a fact that those who carried the torturous and satanic acts are still there at the barracks or at their homes.

They must be mindful of the fact that the truth will come out some day.

Ms Kalounivale has called for a totally new investigation to be called to establish the truths about the deaths of the five CRW soldiers.

We know the military does not want to involve itself in this murder case. Ms Kalounivale remains convinced that someone will stand up and tell all that happened that led to the brutal killing her husband that day.

I must admit that the killing was a cowardly act. An act so outrageous, that it should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Those responsible should face the full brunt of the law. And justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.

As the government is engaged in a clean up campaign, the CRW killing will be a good case to add to its list.

Our hope is that this matter will not be put to rest and investigation is to continue so that justice is truly served to the all the CRW families affected.

So is there a leader willing to undertake this investigation?