Fiji will have a military coup today.

[Keyser]

BBC News: Countdown to Fiji Coup (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6158619.stm)

The dispute is over the Fijian Army wanting to have the Chief of Fiji Police (a white Australian) sacked and the Fiji government taking a more hard line against the coup leaders of the May 2000 events.

So far the government has failed in these two demands and the deadline for the coup is Friday afternoon, Fiji time.

The army has already blockaded military bases and army checkpoints have been up since Wednesday to remove the government when the deadline comes.

[BreadBros]

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1802502.htm

The deadline for the coup has been moved to tomorrow.

[Keyser]

Funny how the military phones up the current incumbent government to tell them that the coup will take place later and the incumbent regime just accepts it. The English Aljazeerah channel stated that the coup was delayed as the army were due to play a rugby match today against the police rugby team. I mean you cannot get any more civil than this during a coup.

This all looks so comical.

[Black Dagger]

Yesterday the Fijian military was shooting flairs at the australian ships who had set themselves up off-shore (to evacuate australians of course! They're not there to intimidiate anyone :rolleyes:), apparently as a 'warning' for them to stay away. Baffling as to what possible justification the Howard government is going to trot if they decide to 'intervene' in the coup, probably something like 'humanitarian crisis' or maybe the Fijian government will request australian military 'aid'...

[Cheung Mo]

I guess they don't want power for themselves: They just want the fucking Aussies out, and I don't blame them.

[Wanted Man]

I don't think I've ever heard of a coup announced beforehand. How nice of them. :)

[Phalanx]

Originally posted by Cheung [email protected] 01, 2006 06:32 pm
I guess they don't want power for themselves: They just want the fucking Aussies out, and I don't blame them.
Yeah, but once they get into power it could all change. Especially when you have Australian warships in your waters, and looking down the barrels of their guns.

Australia's policies in the South Pacific are uncannily similar to the US in Latin America.

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Originally posted by [email protected] 01, 2006 06:33 pm
I don't think I've ever heard of a coup announced beforehand. How nice of them. :)
ya lol that's what I was thinking. Maybe they'll say its tommorow, but attack them earlier?

[Janus]

The deadline has passed and troops have remained in their barracks. The only new development is that the Fiji prime minister has gone into hiding in anticipation of this coup. He stated that he believed that the army was extending the deadline yet again to Monday but the army commander responded by stating:""Who's saying the deadline has been extended? Is he the commander? I am the commander." :lol: This coup business seems pretty comical to outsider viewers and very anti-climactic.

Fiji prime minister goes into hiding (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061201/ap_on_re_au_an/fiji_coup_fears)