Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Fiji’s military warns against overthrow attempts while commander out of the country

Posted at 23:18 on 23 September, 2007 UTC

Fiji’s military has warned against any attempt to depose their commander and interim prime minister, Commodore Bainimarama, while he is away in New York this week.

Fiji TV reports the warning comes in the wake of several such attempts in past years while Commodore Bainimarama was overseas.

The first attempt took place immediately after the Speight coup while the last was a few days before the December military takeover.

At that time, three diplomats in Suva allegedly asked the deputy commander to withdraw his support from Commodore Bainimarama.

The military spokesman, Lt Col Mosese Tikoitoga says the military’s allegiance to Commodore Bainimarama is unshaken, the military council very much intact and the whole military is working together.

Col Samu Saumatua will be acting commander while Commodore Bainimarama is away.

Meanwhile, the National Security Council will be meeting this week to decide whether the recently re-imposed Public Emergency Regulations should be lifted.