Politics: Coup: SouthWest Pacific island-state of Fiji undergoes coup, dismissing constitutional government
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For some weeks, the government of the Island of Fiji in the SouthWest Pacific region which includes Tonga and the Grand Solomons islands as well, and New Zealand and Australia. From that last-named country, I learned of the reformational Christian editor of Fiji Daily Times and his approach to the crisis of state swirling thru Fiji society, culture and public-justice polity. In learning about the editor and following some of his newspaper writings in the micro-state, I also was kept informed of his doings by sociology-philosopher Dr Bruce Wearne of Australia; keeping abreast of his work on this news-theme by means of his posts to Thinknet, a service for and by Christian intellectuals.
The recent news now at hand from the mainstream press is not good news.
"Fiji coup leader consolidates power, warns against resistance" (Dec6,2k6) Boston Herald carrying an AP dispatch:
SUVA, Fiji - The military ruler who led a coup against Fiji’s elected government forcibly dissolved the South Pacific island’s parliament Wednesday, installed a new prime minister and warned that he could use force against dissenters.SouthWest Pacific > Fiji
Commodore Frank Bainimarama, leader of the country’s fourth coup in 19 years, also dismissed the country’s police chief, who had publicly opposed him.
Armed troops entered Parliament and demanded senators end budget deliberations that had resumed despite the government’s ouster. Bainimarama said he had formally dissolved the legislature.
Deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase remained defiant but subdued, agreeing to a military demand that he leave the capital to avoid becoming a rallying point for Bainimarama opponents. He insisted he was still the country’s only legal ruler.
But the capital, Suva, remained largely quiet, a day after Bainimarama seized power to end a long impasse with Qarase over legislation offering pardons to conspirators in a 2000 coup and handing lucrative coastal land ownership to the indigenous Fijian majority.
Bainimarama swore in military medic Dr. Jona Senilagakali as interim prime minister and, in a nationally broadcast address, said he had declared a state of emergency because intelligence indicated some people were planning civil disturbances.
Under the emergency declaration, a security cordon was to be set up around Suva and all military reservists brought to barracks for duty supporting the regime, he said.Please watch this blog-entry for updates.
“For those who do not agree with what we are doing, we respect your opinion, but do not interfere with the process that is currently under way,” Bainimarama said. “Should we be forced to use force, let me state that we will do so very quickly.”
He said the military wanted a peaceful transition to an interim administration and, eventually, elections that would restore democracy.
“There is no point in debating the legality or otherwise of our actions,” he said. “Qarase and his cronies are not coming back.”
Bainimarama accused Qarase of inciting people to rise against the military by declaring the takeover illegal.
“I am still the legal prime minister of the country,” Qarase told the Legend radio network from his home village on the outlying Lau islands. “There is no way the interim prime minister is going to be a legal prime minister, absolutely no way.”
Bainimarama replaced Police Commissioner Moses Driver after the official earlier told his officers to disregard any orders from the military, whose actions he said were “treasonous.”
“The regime that they have put in place is illegal,” Driver said. “The Fiji police will not now, or ever, have any part of it.”
Military spokesman Maj. Neumi Leweni said that five other senior bureaucrats, including the solicitor-general and public service commissioner, had been fired.
--Politicarp
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