WELLINGTON (Pacnews) — The New Zealand Government has banned the 16 international Rugby Sevens teams starting their parade from the front of Parliament Buildings - where it traditionally starts - because that would mean hosting the Fijian team.
NZ Herald reports Sports Minister Trevor Mallard confirmed yesterday Parliament was a no-go zone for the parade and that he would not attend any games involving the Fijians.
In most of the previous seven Sevens tournaments in Wellington, the Government has hosted the teams in Parliament and Mallard has spoken before a parade through Wellington streets, but not this year.
“The Government is not hosting the start of the Sevens parade as it was felt that is was inappropriate to do so, given the participation of the Fijian team in the tournament, and our Government’s serious concerns over the military takeover of Fiji and the ousting of its democratically elected Government by the army.”
He added that Fijian Government and military officials would not be granted visas to enter New Zealand to watch the Sevens.
He said the same approach had been taken in 2001 after the 2000 coup in Fiji. The circumstances of that coup were, ironically, different.
The Fiji military chief and interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, was instrumental in ending the siege of Parliament and capturing the 2000 coup leaders before installing an interim prime minister pending fresh democratic elections.
He was regarded as having played a positive role in helping to restore democracy and was able to attend the 2001 Sevens tournament in a private capacity.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who hosted the commander socially at the 2001 tournament, would give a speech in Orewa tonight that is expected to criticize his former friend. The Fiji team arrived in Wellington yesterday.