Isikia Rabici Savua (31 March 1952 – 30 May 2011) was a senior Fijian diplomat who had a distinguished career in the

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

and police forces before taking up his last post as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations on 4 March 2003.

Career

Savua spent 18 years in the Fijian army, which he joined on leaving high school in 1971. When he retired from military service in 1988, he had attained the rank of lieutenant colonel. The following four years (1988–1992) were spent in the Fiji Diplomatic Corps, first as counsellor (political) to the Fiji Mission to the United Nations, and then (for six months) as

consul general A consul is an official representative of a government who resides in a foreign country to assist and protect citizens of the consul's country, and to promote and facilitate commercial and diplomatic relations between the two countries. A consu ...

to Sydney, Australia. In 1992, Savua joined the Fiji Police Force as

deputy commissioner A deputy commissioner is a police, income tax or administrative official in many countries. The rank is commonplace in police forces of Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, usually ranking below the Commissioner. Australia In all Aust ...

, the second highest position in the force. A year later, he was promoted to the post of

commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to incl ...

. He was to hold this top office until 2002.

Coup controversy

The Fiji coup of 2000, in which saw the fall of the government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, took place during Savua's tenure as Police Commissioner. In an interview with Fiji Television on 29 April 2001, his last media appearance before being incapacitated by a stroke, Mara accused Savua of having been a party to the planning of the coup. This allegation was later repeated on 22 October 2004 under

parliamentary privilege Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made in the course of their legislative duties ...

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

Adi Koila Nailatikau, Mara's daughter, who condemned his appointment as an Ambassador while still under investigation for alleged coup-related offences. Savua was not charged with any crime, and while alive denied the allegations.

Personal life

Savua hailed from the village of Tobu in the district of Nakorotubu, in

Ra Province Ra is one of the fourteen provinces of Fiji. Occupying the northern area of Viti Levu, the largest island, it is one of eight Viti Levu-based Provinces. With a land area of 1,341 square kilometers, it had a population of 30,432 in 2017 census. T ...

, and was married to Frances, with whom he had two sons, Daniel and Josefa.

Death

Savua died on 30 May 2011 and was cremated on 3 June.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Savua, Isikia 2011 deaths Fijian civil servants Fijian police chiefs People from Nakorotubu Permanent representatives of Fiji to the United Nations 1952 births Fijian soldiers