Esala Teleni
Encyclopedia
Captain Esala Teleni is a Fiji
an naval
officer, who currently
serves as the Commissioner of the Fiji Police Force. He was appointed to this post on 1 July 2007.
Teleni is regarded as a staunch ally of Bainimarama, who seized power in a military coup
on 5 December 2006. Prior to the coup, Teleni played a key role in thwarting a government move to dismiss Bainimarama and install Colonel
Meli Saubulinayau
, who was regarded as loyal to the government, in his place. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/10/31/fijilive4.html
Teleni had been strident in his repeated calls for the government of Prime Minister
Laisenia Qarase
to resign, and on 1 November 2006 openly flouted government and police directives by ordering the seizure of a shipment of seven tons of ammunition, which Police Commissioner
Andrew Hughes
had refused to release. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/11/01/11fijilive12.html On 4 November, the Fiji Times
quoted him as issuing a direct challenge to the police, saying in an address to territorial, regular, and reserve troops at a two-week camp at Suva
's Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Nabua
, that the Military, and not the police, was the country's last bastion of law and order. The same day, the Fiji Village
news service quoted him as branding Hughes a liar for saying that the Military had breached procedures and taken the shipment illegally, and on 7 November, he called on Hughes to resign, http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/11/07/fijilive10.html claiming that Hughes could not be in charge of investigating his own complaint about the shipment seizure.
Teleni hails from the island of Vatoa
in the Lau Archipelago
. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54560
In 2004, Captain Teleni attended the year long Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Australian Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies located at Weston Creek, Canberra. Captain Teleni was a popular and highly regarded member of the course, which is designed to instill high level policy and strategic skills in senior defence officers from Australia and its areas of interest.
On 17 February 2009, Commissioner Teleni controversially made comments to senior Indian police officers, issuing them with an ultimatum, to either support his Christian crusade against crime or to leave the force. which caused various organizations and political parties to demand his immediate removal however, interim Prime Minister, Commodore Bainimarama supported his bizarre comments.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an naval
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
officer, who currently
January 2007
January 2007 was the first month of that year. It began on a Monday and 31 days later, ended on a Wednesday.-International holidays:* January 1 – New Year's Day* January 1 – Independence Day and * January 1 – Flag Day...
serves as the Commissioner of the Fiji Police Force. He was appointed to this post on 1 July 2007.
Teleni is regarded as a staunch ally of Bainimarama, who seized power in a military coup
2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....
on 5 December 2006. Prior to the coup, Teleni played a key role in thwarting a government move to dismiss Bainimarama and install Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Meli Saubulinayau
Meli Saubulinayau
Colonel Ratu Meli Saubulinayau is a Fijian career soldier, who, as of January 2006, headed the Strategic Unit in Suva. He was appointed to the post at the beginning of January 2006...
, who was regarded as loyal to the government, in his place. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/10/31/fijilive4.html
Teleni had been strident in his repeated calls for the government of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Fiji
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji is the head of government of Fiji. The Prime Minister was appointed by the President under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution....
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase is a Fijian political figure. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment...
to resign, and on 1 November 2006 openly flouted government and police directives by ordering the seizure of a shipment of seven tons of ammunition, which Police Commissioner
Commissioner of Police (Fiji)
Fiji has a unified national police force, the Fiji Police, whose motto is Salus Populi.The Fijian Commissioner of Police title had been held by Australian police officer Andrew Hughes since 2003 but after the 2006 takeover of the Government the post has been reserved for a local.The Commissioner is...
Andrew Hughes
Andrew Hughes (police)
Andrew 'Andy' Hughes is a senior officer of the Australian Federal Police who, until recently, served as the Chief Police Officer for the Australian Capital Territory . The CPO position is similar to the role of Australian Commissioners of Police, that is, the chief executive of the ACT Policing...
had refused to release. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/11/01/11fijilive12.html On 4 November, the Fiji Times
Fiji Times
The Fiji Times is a daily English-language newspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating....
quoted him as issuing a direct challenge to the police, saying in an address to territorial, regular, and reserve troops at a two-week camp at Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
's Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Nabua
Nabua
Nabua is a suburb of the Fijian capital of Suva. The Queen Elizabeth Barracks, a major military base which saw a mutiny on 2 November 2000, is located there....
, that the Military, and not the police, was the country's last bastion of law and order. The same day, the Fiji Village
Fiji Village
The Fiji Village is an online news service in Fiji. Published daily, it covers political, business, sporting, cultural, and other news items, and also includes the Yellow Bucket commentary, an editorial which does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fiji Village owners or staff, according to...
news service quoted him as branding Hughes a liar for saying that the Military had breached procedures and taken the shipment illegally, and on 7 November, he called on Hughes to resign, http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/11/07/fijilive10.html claiming that Hughes could not be in charge of investigating his own complaint about the shipment seizure.
Teleni hails from the island of Vatoa
Vatoa
Vatoa is an outlier of Fiji's Lau Group.Vatoa was the only island of present-day Fiji visited by James Cook. The island was sighted on 2 July 1774...
in the Lau Archipelago
Lau Islands
The Lau Islands of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about one hundred islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited...
. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54560
In 2004, Captain Teleni attended the year long Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Australian Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies located at Weston Creek, Canberra. Captain Teleni was a popular and highly regarded member of the course, which is designed to instill high level policy and strategic skills in senior defence officers from Australia and its areas of interest.
On 17 February 2009, Commissioner Teleni controversially made comments to senior Indian police officers, issuing them with an ultimatum, to either support his Christian crusade against crime or to leave the force. which caused various organizations and political parties to demand his immediate removal however, interim Prime Minister, Commodore Bainimarama supported his bizarre comments.