[Wednesday interview]. 1987-05-28.

National Radio Wednesday Interview - Māori journalist, Derek Fox, speaks about how he succeeded in interviewing Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, shortly after the Fijian coup.

He says as an indigenous person, he could relate to the feelings of the tangata whenua of Fiji who could see they were becoming a minority in their own land.

In the interview Colonel Rabuka speaks about the reasons why he carried out the coup, including ensuring Fijians retain control of their land and maintaining the balance of power in the Pacific region.

He says he began planning the coup before the elections, as he could see the implications of a change in government.

He says he considers himself a true patriot.

Derek Fox says he was convinced that the question of land was the motivation for the coup, as Colonel Rabuka felt the Taukei movement was going to rise up against the Bavadra government and his officers would be forced to defend it.

He ends by saying the majority of Māori will understand the recent events in Fiji more easily than most Pākēha.