SUVA, Fiji (1 Dec 2006) -- FIJI Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase has branded the military chief threatening to mount a military coup to oust his government "deranged" and "unstable". Qarase said it would be difficult to pull Fiji back from the brink of a coup because of military chief Frank Bainimarama's mental state. "We are dealing with somebody who is completely deranged and unstable so that's part of the problem," Qarase said late yesterday in an interview with Auckland-based ethnic Indian station Radio Tarana. When asked if he thought Bainimarama was mentally stable, Qarase said: "I think that should be obvious to anybody." The midday deadline for Bainimarama's threatened military coup passed with no obvious signs of a military take-over today. The capital Suva was quiet this morning and there were no troops visible on the streets ahead of the deadline's expiration. Residents queued at bank machines and stocked up on supplies, as several military vehicles carrying troops arrived and departed Queen Elizabeth barracks without significant movement. Minutes before the deadline, two utility vehicles carrying five soldiers in full battle gear arrived at the barracks. Commodore Bainimarama was at the Suva sports stadium watching a soccer match between army and police teams as the deadline passed but he left before the game finished. Earlier today, Bainimarama arrived at Government House in a three-car convoy at 10am (9am AEDT) to see President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. Commodore Bainimarama warned last night that he would remove the Government if Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase did not meet his list of demands by noon today. This morning Prime Minister Qarase said he was counting on divine intervention to prevent the country's fourth coup in 20 years. Mr Qarase said he did not know what would happen at noon today. He played down the threat of a coup and has travelled out of the capital, Suva, for meetings in the west of the country. He said he was "relaxed" about the situation. "There is always such a thing as divine intervention and I'm counting on that this morning," he told ABC radio. Mr Qarase said he had already met the military's demands "within the law". "And that's as far as I can go. But God works in mysterious ways, and he might be working on it now," he said. There would be further talks with the military today and Commodore Bainimarama's deadline could be a bluff, Mr Qarase said. He also said the army was divided by a "very big split" – a factor which could work in the Government's favour. "It could well be a factor (in preventing a coup). I really don't know what's in his mind. "I rely a lot on how God works in people and it could well be today is the day for him that God may work through him and pull (him) back from his position." Commodore Bainimarama has said nothing short of an iron-clad guarantee on every demand the military has made would avert action. Those demands include the resignation or removal of Fiji Police Commissioner, Australian Andrew Hughes, and the dropping of police investigations into whether his threats against the Government were seditious. | | Deranged and unstable? Fiji military boss Frank Bainimarama. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is advising all Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Fiji. "There are ongoing tensions between the Fiji Government and the Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and the possibility of a military coup against the Government. "The security situation could deteriorate without warning. If you are in the capital Suva and concerned for your safety, you should consider leaving," DFAT said on its travel advice website Smart Traveller. Acting Prime Minister Mark Vaile said Australia would, if requested, consider intervention in Fiji in the event of a coup. "Our first concern is that of Australian nationals in Fiji," he said. Australian forces were on standby to help evacuate Australians in the event of an attempted military overthrow of the Government, he said. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he is uncertain whether the coup will go ahead. He attended a meeting of Pacific Forum foreign ministers in Sydney this morning. "We don't know whether he will. He's obviously laid down a deadline and he's done that before," Mr Downer told ABC radio. "I simply don't know what he will do when the time comes. "Every effort has been made to try to conciliate him and try to talk him out of mounting a coup, to explain to him that there will be consequences for Fiji in terms of its international relationships." Mr Downer admitted the meeting of foreign ministers could not stop a coup. "But... it does illustrate that throughout the Pacific there is real concern about the impact of this behaviour on the reputation of the whole region," he said. "It's not as though the region has been without difficulties, it's been wrestling with a lot of problems in recent times as we all know. "This really is compounding the rather negative reputation the region's developed." SOURCE - AAPCDNN Related News FIJI - Suva quiet as deadline passesFIJI - Coup imminent: Fijians brace for high noonFIJI - Tourist cancellations surge amidst fear of Fiji military coupCDNN TRAVEL ALERT - Travelers warned to avoid Fiji: 2006-11-26FIJI - Australia warns tourists not to travel to FijiFIJI - Trouble in paradise: Tourism meltdown leads to mass layoffsCDNN SPECIAL REPORT - Racism in Paradise: Fiji |
