Army seized police weapons to protect itself - commander

Dec 4, 2006, 9:51 GMT

Wellington - Fiji's top military commander said Monday that his troops seized weapons from state police so they could not be used against his men, according to reports.

Army chief Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama made the brief statements in Fiji's capital Suva, following more signs a coup could be imminent.

The military seized weapons from the country's only armed police unit before noon Fiji time, (2400 GMT) and Prime Minister Laisenai Qarase was later forced to use a helicopter to return to Suva to avoid a roadblock set up to stop him.

The military also confiscated weapons from two police armouries at Nasinu in the afternoon, according to the Fiji Times.

Bainimarama told the press conference the weapons' seizure would 'ensure the safety of military personnel,' according to reports on Radio New Zealand.

The maverick army chief also claimed the military and police would work together 'to maintain security and control in the country,' according to the Fiji Times.

Bainimarama told Fiji TV Sunday that there would not be violence in his 'clean-up' campaign against the government, to begin Monday.

Bainimarama has threatened to topple Qarase's government unless it meets his demands, including cancelling legislation to grant amnesty to those convicted of carrying out Fiji's 2000 coup d'etat.

Qarase also told the television station that he had already made concessions on the controversial legislation and would not back down further.

Qarase said his national security council had met to discuss the threatened coup.

Tensions between Fiji's majority native population and its people of Indian descent have dominated politics on the islands for decades. Fiji has had three coups since 1987.