SUVA, Fiji (3 Dec 2006) -- FIJI'S military is likely to force the embattled government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to step aside tomorrow, latest reports suggest. Military chief Commander Frank Bainimarama has told the Fijian-language television station that: "transition is expected to take place tomorrow as a deadline", according to Reuters newswire. But AFP newswire earlier reported Bainimarama had dismissed as "rumours" a report in the Sunday Post newspaper which claimed military action would begin early Monday. Bainimarama, who has repeatedly warned the Government to quit or face being replaced, told Fijian-language television today that Qarase should resign now or the military would force him to do so. Asked how long the military would wait before acting, he said: "I'm telling you the quicker we do it, the better." He refused to reveal any plans the military would have for taking power in what he has described as a "peaceful transition." Bainimarama had set a deadline of noon Friday for the Government to bow to the miltiary's demands, which include scrapping controversial legislation. Two days on, the military has not yet taken any overt action to remove the Government. Bainimarama accuses Qarase's nationalist United Fiji Party Government of being soft on plotters of the racially-fuelled coup of 2000 and of favouring the indigenous majority in the country over its ethnic Indian minority. Tensions came to a head after he labelled talks with Qarase earlier in the week as a failure and rejected wide-ranging concessions from the premier. The Sunday Post report, quoting Government and military sources, said the capital Suva was expected to be sealed by military roadblocks at the start of the operation from 3:00am Monday (2am AEDT Monday). It said the Government would be dismissed and Parliament dissolved and an interim administration would be installed to include some current legislators as well as former politicians, indigenous chiefs and soldiers. Roadblocks would be set up on main roads in and out of the capital. Bainimarama was quoted in the paper as saying the military was taking charge of law and order in the country instead of the police. | 
