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Fiji imposes state of emergency Fiji imposes state of emergency
(about 6 hours later)
A state of emergency has been declared on the South Pacific island state of Fiji, as the military tightens its grip a day after a bloodless coup.A state of emergency has been declared on the South Pacific island state of Fiji, as the military tightens its grip a day after a bloodless coup.
The army has dissolved parliament, sworn in a caretaker prime minister and sacked Fiji's acting police chief.The army has dissolved parliament, sworn in a caretaker prime minister and sacked Fiji's acting police chief.
"The military will suppress very quickly any uprising against us," said coup leader Cmdr Frank Bainimarama. Deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Australia and New Zealand are urging Fijians to peacefully resist the coup.
The coup, the fourth in two decades in the Fijian archipelago, was condemned by the international community. But coup leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama warned: "The military will suppress very quickly any uprising."
The UN secretary general has demanded that the government be restored and the UK, the US and New Zealand have suspended aid. The international community has been swift to criticise the fourth coup in two decades in the Fijian archipelago.
The BBC's Phil Mercer in Suva says that a state of emergency will give military chief Cmdr Bainimarama the right to impose curfews, multiply checkpoints and call on army reservists. I believe there will be a peaceful reaction by thousands and thousands in the next few days Laisenia QaraseDeposed Prime Minister
The UN secretary general has demanded that the government be restored, the US has suspended aid and Australia and New Zealand have imposed a raft of sanctions.
The Commonwealth is expected to suspend Fiji on Friday, its Secretary General, Don McKinnon, has said.
Disruption 'threat'Disruption 'threat'
Deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase has called on Fijians peacefully to oppose the coup. Jona Senilagakali, a military doctor with no political background, was sworn in as interim prime minister at a ceremony in the capital, Suva, on Wednesday.
There is no point in debating the legality or otherwise of our actions. Qarase and his cronies are not coming back Cmdr Frank Bainimarama href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/769527.stm" class="">Profile of army chief href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6209550.stm" class="">In pictures: Fiji coup href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6209644.stm" class="">Press reflects unease "I believe there will be a peaceful reaction by thousands and thousands in the next few days," Mr Qarase told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation before leaving for his home village on the remote Lau islands, at the request of the military. A new acting police chief has been appointed after the incumbent was sacked for refusing to take orders from the new regime.
Despite being banished, he has insisted he remains Fiji's legitimate leader. href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/769527.stm" class="">Profile of army chief href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6209550.stm" class="">In pictures: Fiji coup href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6209644.stm" class="">Press reflects unease
Jona Senilagakali, a doctor with no political background, was sworn in as interim prime minister at a ceremony in the capital, Suva, on Wednesday.
Cmdr Bainimarama said the military wanted a peaceful transition of power to an interim administration.
He said he had declared a state of emergency after intelligence reports suggested some people were planning civil disruption.
Lt Col Jim Koroi was appointed as acting police commissioner after the incumbent, Moses Driver, was sacked. He had refused to take orders from the new regime.
"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," Cmdr Bainimarama said in a national broadcast."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," Cmdr Bainimarama said in a national broadcast.
"There is no point in debating the legality or otherwise of our actions. Qarase and his cronies are not coming back.""There is no point in debating the legality or otherwise of our actions. Qarase and his cronies are not coming back."
Cmdr Bainimarama said that next week he would ask the Great Council of Chiefs to restore executive powers to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. He said the military wanted a peaceful transition of power to an interim administration.
The president would then appoint an interim government and elections would follow at an unspecified date, the military chief said. But plans for a caretaker government were "on hold" after the Great Council of Chiefs - a powerful body that appoints the president - had cancelled a meeting scheduled for next week, he said.
Urging Fijians to carry on life as normal, he added: "If we are pushed to use force we will do so. The military is staying the course we have set." He also appears to be having problems recruiting members to a new administration, after saying that anyone who was interested in joining an interim government should apply for a position.
Media control Cmdr Bainimarama said he had declared a state of emergency after intelligence reports suggested some people were planning civil disruption.
Scores of protesters gathered outside the deposed prime minister's home in the capital, praying and singing hymns under the eye of the soldiers. The move gives him the right to impose curfews, multiply checkpoints and call up army reservists, the BBC's Phil Mercer in Suva says.
Cmdr Bainimarama has accused the prime minister of corruption and leading Fiji on a path of doom. Travel bans
Under the state of emergency, the military can increase checkpoints Despite the coup and the increased presence of soldiers and checkpoints, the situation is calm, our correspondent adds.
The two have long been in dispute, largely over the commodore's opposition to a proposed amnesty for those responsible for a 2000 coup he helped put down. Soldiers sent to local media offices on Tuesday to ensure no statements by the deposed prime minister could be broadcast are now reported to have been withdrawn.
Soldiers have been stationed around local media offices to ensure that no statements by the deposed prime minister were broadcast, Reuters reports. The two men have been in dispute for months
Our correspondent says that despite the coup and the increased presence of soldiers and checkpoints, the situation is calm. Mr Qarase has called on Fijians to peacefully oppose the coup.
International pressure on the military rulers is growing, with the Commonwealth nations saying suspension from the group is highly likely. "I believe there will be a peaceful reaction by thousands and thousands in the next few days," Mr Qarase told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation before leaving for his home village on the remote Lau islands, at the request of the military.
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has urged the people of Fiji to "show passive resistance to this imposition of dictatorship on their country". Despite being banished, Mr Qarase - who has been at loggerheads with the commodore over his plans to pardon the plotters of a coup in 2000 - insists he remains Fiji's legitimate leader.
New Zealand has suspended aid to Fiji, broken off sporting contacts and banned all members of the Fijian military from entering the country. Scores of protesters gathered outside the deposed prime minister's home in the capital on Tuesday, praying and singing hymns under the eye of the soldiers.
Both New Zealand and Australia are calling for Fijian military officers and civil servants to defy Cmdr Bainimarama.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has also urged the people of Fiji to "show passive resistance to this imposition of dictatorship on their country".
Both countries have suspended military ties with Fiji and imposed travel bans on anyone linked to the coup. New Zealand has also suspended aid and broken off sporting contacts.
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.
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, who make up about 44%.