$25bn lawsuit

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Former and retired RFMF soldiers outside the High Court in Suva. Picture: ELENA VUCUKULA

More than 50 retired and former Republic of the Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) soldiers appeared in the High Court yesterday.

They were part of the 2866 soldiers who served in Lebanon between 1978 and 2002 and had filed a lawsuit against the RFMF on June 30 this year.

The retired and former personnel of the RFMF are claiming more than $US11 billion ($F25b) in allowances, which were provided by the United Nations for peacekeeping soldiers.

This was part of a surplus money allowance given to RFMF soldiers serving in peacekeeping duties in the Middle East.

The plaintiff’s lawyer Isireli Fa said they had filed for a preliminary, which was the direction given by the court on June 30.

“The first application was filed by the second defendant to strike out,” Mr Fa said.

“And the first call of that summon was on June 30.

“The court gave us directions to file the preliminary which we have filed.”

Mr Fa said because the plaintiffs had filed their submissions first, they felt there should be a reply from the defendant.

He said they would wait for the oral submission hearing to get a reply from the defendant.

Retired major Josefa Savua, retired warrant officer class 1 Jone Buadromo, retired warrant officer class 1 Inoke Livanisiga, former sergeant Livai Baleicolo, former corporal Marika Salusere, retired private Simione Dau, former corporal Lorima Tinadra were the plaintiffs.

The court named the Minister for Home Affairs, Republic of Fiji Military Forces Legal Services and the Attorney-General’s Chamber as defendants.

Acting Master of the High Court Liyanage Wickramasekara said oral hearing submissions from both parties would take place on December 5 at 2.30pm.