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| Fiji military chief stages coup | Fiji military chief stages coup |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Fiji's military commander has seized control of the country, marking the fourth coup in two decades. | Fiji's military commander has seized control of the country, marking the fourth coup in two decades. |
| Commodore Frank Bainimarama said in a televised address he had assumed executive powers and dismissed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. | Commodore Frank Bainimarama said in a televised address he had assumed executive powers and dismissed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. |
| Cmdr Bainimarama accused the prime minister of corruption and leading Fiji on a path of doom. | Cmdr Bainimarama accused the prime minister of corruption and leading Fiji on a path of doom. |
| Mr Qarase, who said he would now retire from politics, accused the military of bringing "shame to the country". | Mr Qarase, who said he would now retire from politics, accused the military of bringing "shame to the country". |
| He said Cmdr Bainimarama was feeding the country lies about his government. | He said Cmdr Bainimarama was feeding the country lies about his government. |
| I urge all citizens to remain calm, and maintain the peace that currently prevails Cmdr Bainimarama Profile of army chief In pictures: Fiji coup href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6209644.stm" class="">Press reflects unease "What the military has done is raped our constitution," Mr Qarase said. | |
| "They have brought shame to the country... and all right-thinking people should stand up and fight for our democracy - by peaceful means of course," he said. | "They have brought shame to the country... and all right-thinking people should stand up and fight for our democracy - by peaceful means of course," he said. |
| "Fiji has now become a laughing stock in the international arena." | "Fiji has now become a laughing stock in the international arena." |
| Fiji's largest daily newspaper, the Fiji Times, says it has suspended publication after refusing to accept censorship. | Fiji's largest daily newspaper, the Fiji Times, says it has suspended publication after refusing to accept censorship. |
| Cmdr Bainimarama had repeatedly threatened to unseat Mr Qarase, expressing anger at the prime minister's proposed legislation to offer an amnesty to those responsible for a 2000 coup which Cmdr Bainimarama helped put down. | Cmdr Bainimarama had repeatedly threatened to unseat Mr Qarase, expressing anger at the prime minister's proposed legislation to offer an amnesty to those responsible for a 2000 coup which Cmdr Bainimarama helped put down. |
| FIJI TENSIONS TIMELINE 2000: Brief coup put down by army chief BainimaramaJuly 2005: Bainimarama warns he will topple government if it pardons jailed coup plottersMay 2006: PM Laisenia Qarase wins re-election31 Oct: Qarase tries - and fails - to replace BainimaramaNovember: Qarase says he will change law offering clemency to coup plotters - Bainimarama warns of coup5 Dec: Military declares coup Fiji voices: Coup impact Fears for future History of coups | FIJI TENSIONS TIMELINE 2000: Brief coup put down by army chief BainimaramaJuly 2005: Bainimarama warns he will topple government if it pardons jailed coup plottersMay 2006: PM Laisenia Qarase wins re-election31 Oct: Qarase tries - and fails - to replace BainimaramaNovember: Qarase says he will change law offering clemency to coup plotters - Bainimarama warns of coup5 Dec: Military declares coup Fiji voices: Coup impact Fears for future History of coups |
| Cmdr Bainimarama warned that more troops would be seen on the streets but said there was no curfew and he urged the population not to be intimidated. | Cmdr Bainimarama warned that more troops would be seen on the streets but said there was no curfew and he urged the population not to be intimidated. |
| He said Fiji had reached a "crossroads" and that the government had been "unable to make decisions to save our people from destruction". | He said Fiji had reached a "crossroads" and that the government had been "unable to make decisions to save our people from destruction". |
| "I urge all citizens to remain calm, and maintain the peace that currently prevails," he said. | "I urge all citizens to remain calm, and maintain the peace that currently prevails," he said. |
| Cmdr Bainimarama named a doctor, Jona Senilagakali, as caretaker prime minister and said he would next week ask the Great Council of Chiefs to restore executive powers to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. | Cmdr Bainimarama named a doctor, Jona Senilagakali, as caretaker prime minister and said he would next week ask the Great Council of Chiefs to restore executive powers to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. |
| The president would then appoint an interim government and elections would follow at an unspecified date, the military chief said. | The president would then appoint an interim government and elections would follow at an unspecified date, the military chief said. |
| Cmdr Bainimarama said the prime minister had created tension in the army by trying to have him removed. | Cmdr Bainimarama said the prime minister had created tension in the army by trying to have him removed. |
| Acting commissioner of the largely unarmed police force, Moses Driver, condemned the takeover. | Acting commissioner of the largely unarmed police force, Moses Driver, condemned the takeover. |
| "The military has now indulged in a very serious criminal act and... we are not going to support the military," he said. | "The military has now indulged in a very serious criminal act and... we are not going to support the military," he said. |
| New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark also condemned Mr Bainimarama, saying he had "taken leave of his senses and the power has certainly gone to his head". | New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark also condemned Mr Bainimarama, saying he had "taken leave of his senses and the power has certainly gone to his head". |
| Britain said it had suspended military assistance to Fiji and was "considering further measures with our international and Commonwealth partners". | Britain said it had suspended military assistance to Fiji and was "considering further measures with our international and Commonwealth partners". |
| Troop request | Troop request |
| Fiji has a population of only 900,000 but is a major tourist destination and attracts up to 400,000 visitors a year. | Fiji has a population of only 900,000 but is a major tourist destination and attracts up to 400,000 visitors a year. |
| Bainimarama is a man with power and intelligence who is not joining hands with the corrupt but is going against them to help the people of Fiji Trot, Suva Send us your comments | Bainimarama is a man with power and intelligence who is not joining hands with the corrupt but is going against them to help the people of Fiji Trot, Suva Send us your comments |
| It has also witnessed considerable political tension over the past 20 years between ethnic Fijians, who make up about 50% of the population and ethnic Indians at around 44%. | It has also witnessed considerable political tension over the past 20 years between ethnic Fijians, who make up about 50% of the population and ethnic Indians at around 44%. |
| The military takeover will add to the concerns of Australia and New Zealand about political instability in the wider Pacific islands region. | The military takeover will add to the concerns of Australia and New Zealand about political instability in the wider Pacific islands region. |
| Australia, Britain and New Zealand had advised their citizens to stay away and warned of dire social, economic and diplomatic consequences if the military completed its coup. | Australia, Britain and New Zealand had advised their citizens to stay away and warned of dire social, economic and diplomatic consequences if the military completed its coup. |
| Australian Prime Minister John Howard earlier said he had turned down a request from Mr Qarase to send troops to prevent a coup. | Australian Prime Minister John Howard earlier said he had turned down a request from Mr Qarase to send troops to prevent a coup. |
| "The possibility of Australia and Fijian troops firing on each other in the streets of Suva was not a prospect that I for a moment thought desirable," Mr Howard said. | "The possibility of Australia and Fijian troops firing on each other in the streets of Suva was not a prospect that I for a moment thought desirable," Mr Howard said. |