This blog on New Caledonia is for those of you who ever wondered what life on a tiny island in the South Pacific might be like. Tired of bracing winter winds, the stress of an inner city or simply dreaming of a life change? This is a blog about what happens when, in the words of Yogi Berra, "you come to a fork in the road, [and] take it".

06 December 2006

Fiji: Prime Minister Deposed in Military Coup

Fiji's military overthrew the government yesterday following a year-long power struggle between Military Commander Frank Bainimarama and Prime Minister Qarase. Bainimarama had long threatened to topple Prime Minister Qarase's government, which won a second five-year term in May, calling it corrupt and too soft on those behind Fiji's last coup in 2000. Today, the Prime Minister was flown out of the capital to safety.

The fourth coup in 20 years, Fiji is likely to face international sanctions. The United States has also temporarily suspended $2.5 million in aid and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has condemned the takeover.

We've been following all of this news pretty closely for the last week and had been hoping a coup would be avoided. Last night we learned that the coup was underway. Is that why Pablo slept so poorly, I wonder? Alas. Let's hope for a speedy and long-lasting resolution for Fiji.

For more news on this topic, see Google News, which provides the news as it is released from a number of sources.

No comments: