Tongan Defence Minister dies suddenly [1]
Monday, April 18, 2005 - 12:30. Updated on Friday, May 9, 2014 - 10:01.
Hon. Col. ‘Aloua Fetu‘utolu Tupou
Tonga's Minister of Defence, the Hon. Col. ‘Aloua Fetu‘utolu Tupou died suddenly at his residence, at Pahu, Nuku‘alofa, on Saturday morning, April 16.
The government Information Unit confirmed that the minister's death was due to a heart failure.
A funeral date has not been set, awaiting the return to Nuku‘alofa of his wife, Viela Tupou, the Tongan High Commissioner to the Court of St James, London, United Kingdom.
Hon. Fetu‘utolu Tupou was appointed by King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV as Tonga's Minister of Defence on September 14, 2004, relieving the Prime Minister Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata from one of his many portfolios.
Hon. Fetu‘utolu Tupou was the Tongan High Commissioner to the Court of St. James from May 2000-September 04. He was also Tonga's Ambassador to Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Switzerland, the European Commission and the European Economic Community.
A Colonel in the defence services, Hon. Fetu‘utolu Tupou was the first Tongan Commander of the Tonga Defence Services, a post he held for 23 years from 1977 to 2000.
A highlight of his military career was his appointment as the Chief of Operation of the first South Pacific Peace Keeping Force to be deployed in Bourgainville, Papua New Guinea, in 1994, the first time since the second world war for Tongans and a combined force of South Pacific soldiers to be deployed overseas.
He was decorated with six medals: the King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV Silver Jubilee Medal, Tonga Defence Services General Medal (Bougainville), Tonga Defence Services Meritorious Service Medal, United States Presidential Meritorious Service Medal, Tonga Defence Services Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, and the Republic of China Order of the Resplendent Banner with Cravat.