'IMMINENT COUP' WARNING FOR FIJI !
Cmdr Bainimarama has been at odds with the government for months. There are new fears of unrest in Fiji as Australia warned of "clear evidence" that a coup on the island was imminent.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he was concerned the military planned to move against the government in the next couple of weeks.
Armed forces chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama has given the government a two-week deadline to comply with a list of "non-negotiable" demands.
He has also warned other countries not to interfere over the crisis.
"It is our business. We don't expect anyone from other Pacific island countries to come in and meddle in our affairs," he told New Zealand television.
Meanwhile, reports say the Fijian military is planning unscheduled exercises outside the capital Suva over the weekend.
Amnesty row
"There is clear evidence [Cmdr Bainimarama] is planning a coup in the next couple of weeks," Mr Downer said, without giving any details.
"He made a public statement along those lines and we are particularly concerned about that," he added.
PM Qarase has dropped a controversial amnesty law
Australia has put three naval ships on standby and warned its citizens to reconsider travelling to Fiji.
Cmdr Bainimarama earlier this week called on the government to meet a series of demands, which include the removal of Police Chief Andrew Hughes.
Mr Hughes, an Australian, is believed to be close to laying sedition charges against Cmdr Bainimarama for his repeated threats to forcibly remove the government.
The rift between the military and Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's government has been growing for months.
At the heart of the feud were plans by the government to offer amnesties to those involved in a racially-motivated coup six years ago.
The proposal was bitterly opposed by Cmdr Bainimarama, who was the main target of the mutiny, and was forced to flee for his life.
He also played a key role in putting down the uprising, and made clear that he does not feel the government has done enough to bring its perpetrators to justice.
Prime Minister Qarase moved to meet one of Cmdr Bainimarama's demands earlier this month by agreeing to drop the amnesty plans.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he was concerned the military planned to move against the government in the next couple of weeks.
Armed forces chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama has given the government a two-week deadline to comply with a list of "non-negotiable" demands.
He has also warned other countries not to interfere over the crisis.
"It is our business. We don't expect anyone from other Pacific island countries to come in and meddle in our affairs," he told New Zealand television.
Meanwhile, reports say the Fijian military is planning unscheduled exercises outside the capital Suva over the weekend.
Amnesty row
"There is clear evidence [Cmdr Bainimarama] is planning a coup in the next couple of weeks," Mr Downer said, without giving any details.
"He made a public statement along those lines and we are particularly concerned about that," he added.
PM Qarase has dropped a controversial amnesty law
Australia has put three naval ships on standby and warned its citizens to reconsider travelling to Fiji.
Cmdr Bainimarama earlier this week called on the government to meet a series of demands, which include the removal of Police Chief Andrew Hughes.
Mr Hughes, an Australian, is believed to be close to laying sedition charges against Cmdr Bainimarama for his repeated threats to forcibly remove the government.
The rift between the military and Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's government has been growing for months.
At the heart of the feud were plans by the government to offer amnesties to those involved in a racially-motivated coup six years ago.
The proposal was bitterly opposed by Cmdr Bainimarama, who was the main target of the mutiny, and was forced to flee for his life.
He also played a key role in putting down the uprising, and made clear that he does not feel the government has done enough to bring its perpetrators to justice.
Prime Minister Qarase moved to meet one of Cmdr Bainimarama's demands earlier this month by agreeing to drop the amnesty plans.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
posted by jackaranda at 10:56 pm
1 Comments:
This report is alarmist, and I think, unrealistic. The military is not about to take over Fiji. They've seen economic chaos the followed the 1987 and 2000 coups, and they're unlikely to want to go back there. Bainimarama is just trying to pressure the government into withdrawing ill-considered legislation. I don't know why Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is putting out panic statements like this, but I assume he has his own agenda which has nothing whatever to do with what's in Fiji's best interests. Australian politicians like to show off and emulate their hero George W Bush. I guess they figure this sort of posturing makes them look macho or something.
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