Fiji's Military May be Planning A Coup

CHAN: There is clear evidence Fiji's military chief is planning a coup to overthrow the government. Commander Frank Bainimarama threatens to remove the government if it doesn¡¯t drop several upcoming bills.

STORY: This is a threat that has Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase worried.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer shares that view, speaking to Qarase about the military chief's plans against the government scheduled for two weeks time.

[Alexander Downer, Australian Foreign Minister]: "There's clear evidence he's planning a coup in the next couple of weeks, he made a public statement along those lines yesterday."

Rumours of a fourth coup since 1987 have swirled through Fiji for the past two months. Bainimarama has repeatedly threatened the Fijian Government and issued a list of demands described as non-negotiable.

This includes dropping the amnesty bill by the time he returns from a two-week trip to New Zealand.

[Alexander Downer, Australian Foreign Minister]: "He still seems intent on returning to Fiji and at some point overthrowing through military means the elected government of Fiji."

Bainimarama's threats have alarmed Australia, which sent two warships towards Fiji this month just in case.

Local media reports say the capital Suva is tense. Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes is close to laying sedition charges against Bainimarama over his threats.

Not surprisingly, the list of demands also includes Hughes' removal.

Fiji's two previous coups in 1987 and 2000 were led by racially motivated armed indigenous nationalists.

Indigenous Fijians make up about 51 percent of population. Many of them fear the economic might of ethnic Indians will be matched by political clout.

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