Fiji chiefs change stance to support military coup

Jan 10, 2007, 11:56 GMT

Wellington - Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs - traditional leaders of the indigenous Fijian population - did an about-turn on Wednesday and announced its support for the new government appointed by the military following a coup last month.

The council condemned the overthrow of the elected government led by nationalist Laisenia Qarase at its last meeting in December, but reversed this position with chairman Ovini Bokini saying it supported the administration now headed by military strongman Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama.

Ovini called on Qarase and his colleagues to work together for the betterment of the nation, saying it was time to move forward, the independent Fijilive website reported from the capital Suva.

The chiefs were joined in supporting the new government by the influential Methodist Church, whose assistant general secretary once described the coup by Bainimarama's coup as 'the manifestation of darkness and evil,' and the Roman Catholic Church.

Bainimarama has persuaded 86-year-old President Josefa Iloilo to swear him in as prime minister and he has named an interim cabinet.

It includes Mahendra Chaudhry, the country's first ethnic Indian prime minister who was toppled in a coup by nationalist indigenous Fijians in May 2000.

Chaudhry told Radio New Zealand on Wednesday that Qarase had bought votes and rigged the 2001 general election and the latest ballot last year.

He urged New Zealand and Australia, who have condemned the military's overthrow of the democratically elected Qarase government, to send missions to investigate charges of corruption but they have rejected this.