Fiji
Canberra prepares rapprochement with Fijian military junta
By Frank Gaglioti, April 6, 2007
The Howard government, in close collaboration with the US, European Union, and New Zealand, has signalled its readiness to tacitly recognise the Fijian military regime and normalise diplomatic relatio...
Fijian military junta imposes austerity budget
By Frank Gaglioti, March 6, 2007
The Fijian military regime’s finance minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, introduced a revised 2007 budget on March 2, imposing the brunt of the small Pacific island state’s disastrous economic si...
Fiji: Pacific Islands Forum report urges coup leader to stand aside
By Frank Gaglioti, March 1, 2007
A Pacific Islands Forum Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report, leaked to the PacNews agency on February 20, urges the Fijian military regime to stand aside and install an interim civilian administration....
Fiji’s military junta strong-arms its political opponents
By Frank Gaglioti, February 27, 2007
Since seizing power last December, the Fijian military junta has not hesitated to ride roughshod over basic democratic rights and use brute force to silence any opposition. Arbitrary arrests, the use ...
Fiji’s army commander unveils new military regime
By Frank Gaglioti and Peter Symonds, January 16, 2007
Fiji’s coup leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama announced his cabinet last week and, in doing so, made clear the sharp divisions in the country’s ruling elite that underlay his seizure of p...
Fijian crisis drags on as military delays formation of interim administration
By Rick Kelly, December 22, 2006
More than two weeks after the Fijian military overthrew the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, no administration or junta has been formed. Power remains concentrated solely in the hands of ...
Fijian military regime moves to suppress any opposition
By Rick Kelly, December 8, 2006
After ousting the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase on Tuesday, the Fijian military has moved to consolidate its uncertain grip on power, and has warned the population that it is prepared t...
Fijian government ousted in military coup
By Rick Kelly, December 6, 2006
The Fijian military yesterday overthrew the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. Military head Commodore Frank Bainimarama declared himself interim president and appointed 77-year-old militar...
Fijian political crisis intensifies amid continuing threats of a coup
By Rick Kelly, December 4, 2006
Amid a highly unstable and uncertain standoff, Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and military head Commodore Frank Bainimarama are both claiming control of the country. Bainimarama has declared th...
Canberra prepares for possible military intervention in Fiji
By Rick Kelly, November 29, 2006
Amid stepped up threats by the Fijian military to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Canberra is taking aggressive steps to protect its interests in the country and the region...
Australian government provocations heighten political crisis in Fiji
By Rick Kelly, November 9, 2006
The Fijian military has stepped up its criticisms of the government amid ongoing fears of a coup. Military head Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who returned to Fiji from the Middle East last Saturday, ye...
Coup threat in Fiji as confrontation between army and government intensifies
By Mike Head, November 2, 2006
A tense standoff between the government and the army in the Pacific Island state of Fiji has raised the prospect of another coup—the fourth in two decades. Behind these extreme tensions lie a de...
