Fiji's military commander declared a state of emergency and installed a new prime minister and police chief today, a day after he overthrew the elected government and brought international sanctions and censure that began to isolate the South Pacific country.
The coup was nation's fourth in 19 years. The radio network Legend quoted a military statement saying that armed forces would set up a cordon of checkpoints around the capital, Suva, as part of the state of emergency.
"As of 6 o'clock this evening, the military has taken over the government, has executive authority and the running of this country," Commander Frank Bainimarama, the armed forces chief credited with resolving Fiji's last coup, said yesterday in a nationally broadcast statement.
Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, who insists he is still Fiji's legitimate leader, flew from the capital to his home village on the remote north-eastern Lau group of islands today, according to his private secretary.
Cdr. Bainimarama on Wednesday dismissed criticism of the coup.
"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," he said in an address broadcast nationally. "There is no point in debating the legality or otherwise of our actions. Mr Qarase and his cronies are not coming back."
The takeover, like the previous three coups, has its roots in the ethnic divide between the descendants of ancient Melanesian warrior tribes and those of Indian labourers brought by former colonial power Britain to work in sugar plantations.
In his declaration, Cdr. Bainimarama justified seizing power to prevent legislation that favoured indigenous Fijians, contending the measures "would undermine the constitution and deny many citizens their rights." Cdr. Bainimarama and Mr Qarase are both ethnic Fijians but the army chief considers himself as a protector of the rights of all Fijians including ethnic Indians.
He said he had assumed some powers of the president and was using them to dismiss the prime minister.
The nation's last coup, in 2000, was led by indigenous nationalists who overthrew the country's first ethnic Indian prime minister. Cdr. Bainimarama was widely regarded as a national hero after he stepped in, brokered a resolution without bloodshed and restored democracy, hand-picking Mr Qarase, a former banker, to lead an interim government.
He also promised amnesty to coup participants but later reneged, and the ringleaders were arrested, tried and imprisoned for treason.
Today, he swore-in Dr. Jona Senilagakali, a military medic with no political experience, as caretaker prime minister and said a full interim government would be appointed next week to see the country through elections that would restore democracy sometime in the future.
Police chief Moses Driver was forced out of his post today after openly opposing Cdr. Bainimarama, ordering 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," he said. "The Fiji Police will not now, or ever, have any part of it."