Fiji

Fiji strongman Bainimarama back in charge

Fiji strongman Bainimarama back in chargeWellington - Two days after Fiji military chief Voreqe Bainimarama's government was declared illegal by the Court of Appeal, it was back in power on Saturday, according to news reports from the capital Suva. Bainimarama, who has governed the country since ousting the elected government in a bloodless military coup in December 2006, was sworn in by President Ratu Josefa Iloilo as caretaker prime minister for the next five years.

The sick sick and ageing president sacked the judges and introduced emergency rule on Friday.

Fiji appeals court rules military coup was illegal

Fiji appeals court rules military coup was illegal Wellington - Fiji's Court of Appeal ruled Thursday that the military coup that ousted an elected government in December 2006 was illegal, according to reports from the capital, Suva.

The court ruled that military strongman Voreqe Bainimarama's government was unlawfully appointed and the president should appoint an independent caretaker prime minister to dissolve Parliament and call a general election.

Fiji army chief: Soldiers would make proper job of attack on editor

Fiji army chief: Soldiers would make proper job of attack on editor Wellington  - Fiji's army chief has denied the military was responsible for a fire bomb attack on the home of the editor of a newspaper he wants shut down, saying soldiers would do the job properly, according to a report from the capital Suva on Thursday.

Fiji gets "passport to poverty," says New Zealand leader

Fiji gets "passport to poverty," says New Zealand leader Wellington  - Fiji military strongman Commodore Frank Bainimarama is delivering his country "a passport to poverty" with his refusal to hold democratic elections, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Monday.

"He needs to recognize that if he wants Fiji to progress and to be taken seriously by both the (British) Commonwealth and the Pacific Forum leaders he needs to demonstrate that he has got a willingness for democracy to be restored," Key told reporters at his weekly news conference.

Fiji strongman challenges Commonwealth to suspend membership

Fiji strongman challenges Commonwealth to suspend membership Wellington  - Fiji's military strongman, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, defied Thursday an ultimatum from the British Commonwealth to hold elections this year and challenged the 53-member organization to suspend his country's membership immediately.

A group of ministers from Commonwealth countries meeting in London on Wednesday said Fiji would be suspended in September if Bainimarama, who has ruled the South Pacific nation since seizing power in a bloodless coup in December 2006, did not restore democracy.

Fiji police chief calls Indian officers backstabbers and liars in latest racist rant

Fiji policeWellington, Feb 18 : Commodore Esala Teleni, the Police Commissioner of Fiji, has told Fijian-Indian police officers to get out of the force if they can't be loyal to him.

One of Fiji''s top coup plotters, Police Commissioner Esala Teleni, has launched an attack on Indians in his force, calling them backstabbers and liars.

And he says any of them who oppose his Christian mission will be booted out of the force, Stuff. co. nz reported.

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