Military Coup In Fiji

Fiji's military chief said on Tuesday the army had taken over running the country, while the elected Prime Minister was confined to his home in the South Pacific island nation that is undergoing its fourth coup in 20 years.

Army Commander Frank Bainimarama said he had taken over the role of the president and is dismissing Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Reuters reports.

"The takeover will not be permanent, tomorrow I will summon the chief executive officers and charge them with the duty of running their own ministries until an interim government is appointed," Bainimarama said.

The army commander had repeatedly threatened to topple Qarase's government, which won a second five-year term in May, claiming it was corrupt and soft on those behind Fiji's last coup, in 2000.

Bainimarama said a caretaker Prime Minister would be appointed to dissolve parliament. Bainimara would surrender presidential powers next week, when Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs would be asked to reappoint President Ratu Josefa Iloilo to the post.

Iloilo would then appoint an interim government to prepare the nation for fresh elections, but he gave no timetable for new elections.

Fiji's political crisis has alarmed South Pacific neighbors, with Australia sending three warships in case it needed to evacuate holidaying nationals. Bainimarama has warned that his soldiers will oppose any foreign intervention.

By Armenian Public Radio