Fiji military chief ‘already in power’
Suva, Fiji’s capital city was reported in lock-down last night, with plain-clothes military personnel patrolling the streets in rented cars.
The Daily Post newspaper declared that military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama was already in power, that an interim government would be sworn in today to replace the elected government of Laisenia Qarase, and that roadblocks would be in place by 3am.
Commodore Bainimarama said at 3.30pm yesterday, during an interview broadcast on the Fiji One television channel, that he was already the head of the government and that the “clean-up” of Fiji would begin today.
Despite Commodore Bainimarama’s assurances that nobody would be hurt and that business, including tourism, would proceed as normal, the dark days of night-time curfews imposed during the 1987 and 2000 coups appeared to have returned.
Mr Qarase, Prime Minister since 2001, insisted late yesterday afternoon that he was still in power, and set tomorrow as the day he would call a special meeting of the cabinet to consider Commodore Bainimarama’s demands.
Commodore Bainimarama has said that nobody, not even Mr Qarase, should fear for their safety and has called on Fijians to continue business as usual.
He said the military had taken over the role of policing because the police had not done a good enough job — a claim disputed by acting police commissioner Moses Driver.
Despite such assurances, notices have been posted in hotels across Fiji calling on foreign nationals to consider the political situation and to register with their own consulates.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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