FIJIAN DICTATORSHIP: A PRECURSOR FOR US? *PIC* (STA BREAKING NEWS and ARCHIVES)

by gimp, Friday, May 15, 2009, 09:02

The Fijian Islands are three flying hours from here. It's very much visited by Australians and New Zealanders among various other internationals, many of whom have 'settled'- home owners in other words.

I imagine many of them expat home-owners in old F1J1 would, at this point,juncture/moment in time, be asking questions.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8035317.stm
By Zoe Murphy
BBC News

On the face of it, Fiji appears calm. The capital Suva is quiet as citizens go about their daily lives. There is no heavy military presence on the streets as in previous times of national crisis.

Frank Bainimarama was removed and reinstalled as premier within 24 hours
But underlying the sense of normality is an atmosphere of fear, with people now expressing their concerns in closed circles.
There have been petrol bombings targeting the homes and offices of vocal trade unionists and other political players, says a local journalist speaking to the BBC News website on condition of anonymity, for fear of reprisals.
The attacks were meant to scare those who dared speak out against the military regime, the journalist says.
For a fleeting moment last month it seemed as though democracy may be returned to Fiji, when the leader of the 2006 coup, army chief Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama, was removed from his post as prime minister.
But in an extraordinary 24 hours, President Ratu Josefa Iloilo scrapped the constitution, sacked the judiciary and reinstalled Mr Bainimarama and his cabinet for a minimum term of five years.
A state of emergency was declared, under which government censors were sent into the newsrooms of Fiji's newspapers and television and radio stations to prevent any "negative publicity".

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8035317.stm