Sitiveni Rabuka a key speaker at the Pacific conference on UC campus

Major General Sitiveni Rabuka, who led two military coups in Fiji, will be one of the key speakers at Pacific conference on democracy at the University of Canterbury campus on October 18 and 19.

Rabuka, who went on to become the country's elected prime minister, is one of a many Pacific leaders who will be attending the conference.

New Zealand’s relations with Fiji are improving and Foreign Minister Murray McCully recently said New Zealand would reappoint a high commissioner to Fiji and relax travel sanctions. Fiji has committed to democratic elections in 2014.

Other speakers at the conference in October include Sir Don McKinnon, Deputy Tongan Prime Minister Sam Viapulu, Samoan Justice Minister Fiame Mataafa, Greens Catherine Delahunty and Labour MPs Phil Goff, Charles Chauvel. Topics will cover politics, rule of law, economics human rights and development.

The conference will be held in honour of associate professor John Henderson, who recently retired from the University of Canterbury. He had carried out substantial research into Pacific Island, New Zealand and Australian politics over many years.