Natuman said before last month’s summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, some Fiji chiefs asked for assistance from their Vanuatu counterparts, who relayed this to the prime minister.
The Fijian administration suspended the Fiji chief’s body at the start of a campaign to suppress dissent, which has now been extended to the media and the Methodist church.
Natuman said his government was also approached, prompting the MSG to urge the Fiji leader to seek a wider dialogue.
“We received communication from Fiji, from the churches and the council of chiefs that they would like to get some dialogue going. So we prepared us Melanesians, following Melanesian traditions and values, to facilitate discussion between parties involved in Fiji,” said Natuman.
