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| Fiji Capital Quiet After Coup Deadline |
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The deadline for the army's "peaceful transition" has passed and Suva, capital of Fiji, is now stable and quiet as usual. Jin Renwu, a Chinese restaurant owner told Xinhua that he continues his business Friday and local people come and eat without much worry about a possible coup. "We had thought about closing the door early in the morning but we see now it's very normal outside, and all other stores are having business now," said Jin. Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase was attending functions earlier Friday in the west of Fiji's main island Viti Levu, but said he planned to return to Suva later in the day. Qarase said he did not know what would happen at noon, but admitted he was counting on divine intervention to prevent Fiji's fourth coup since 1987. Qarase said there's nothing his government can do but wait until military commander Commodore Vorege Bainimarama's deadline for a "clean-up" is reached. Bainimarama's "peaceful transition" threat came Thursday night when he demanded that the Government meet all his demands by the deadline, which is 12:00 AM local time (24:00 GMT). Bainimarama's Thursday comments come hours after Prime MinisterLaisenia Qarase made concessions on key demands by the military. Fei Mingxing, political counsellor of Chinese Embassy in Suva, told Xinhua Thursday "the Embassy works normally, and the situation has been monitored closely." Tensions in Fiji have been high since Bainimarama threatened last month to remove Prime Minister Qarase from office. Bainimarama ever backed down from those threats after Qarase met his demand to amend controversial legislation, removing amnesty for people convicted over Fiji's 2000 coup. He issued last week demands to the government and a two-week deadline to comply, and has recalled army reservists in readiness for what he describes as a "clean-up" of the Qarase government. On Wednesday night, the army conducted a several-hour exercise firing flares and securing areas of the capital by setting up checkpoints. Fiji, a South Pacific nation of about 900,000 people, consists of 800-plus volcanic and coral islands. Racial and political tensions since 1987, including three coups, have been an intermittent source of instability of the country. (Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2006) |
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