| Amnesty International is predicting civil unrest and | | | | where there could be civil conflict." |
| conflict with Fiji's military government, as army | | | | Bloodless coup leads to 'new order' |
| commanders continue to tighten their grip. The | | | | Commodore Bainimarama seized power in a bloodless |
| international human rights organization claims | | | | coup in December 2006, unseating an elected |
| conditions in the troubled South Pacific nation are | | | | government the army strongman says was racist |
| getting worse by the day. Army chief Commodore | | | | and corrupt. His actions were declared illegal by Fiji's |
| Frank Bainimarama was reinstated as interim prime | | | | Court of Appeal, earlier this month, a ruling that |
| minister, earlier this month, following the president's | | | | prompted the country's president - a close ally of the |
| decision to abrogate the constitution. Amnesty | | | | army commander - to dismiss the judiciary and |
| International is painting a serious picture of life in Fiji, | | | | abandon the constitution. |
| as the military continues to increase its authority. | | | | Creating what he called a "new order", President Ratu |
| Army extends grip on power | | | | Josefa Iloilo reappointed the military government with |
| Fiji's military commander Frank Bainimarama stands | | | | even greater powers. |
| outside the officer's mess at the Queen Elizabeth | | | | Commodore Bainimarama has insisted democracy will |
| Barracks in the capitol Suva (File) | | | | only be restored only when he has rewritten the |
| The armed forces' grip on power now extends into | | | | constitution and changed electoral laws that he claims |
| almost all corners of the civil service, while a | | | | are biased against the country's ethnic Indian minority. |
| compliant police service is also supporting the army | | | | Political turmoil leads to economic woes |
| chief, Commodore Frank Bainimarama. | | | | As the army's controversial reform program inches |
| Amnesty claims the military is using intimidation to | | | | forward, Fiji's economy, which depends on tourism |
| quell dissent. | | | | and the sugar cane industry, continues to stutter, |
| The group's Pacific analyst, Apolosi Bose, says, as | | | | putting at risk thousands of jobs. |
| Fiji's fragile economy continues to crumble, the | | | | The United Nations Security Council said Monday the |
| prospects of a public backlash against the military | | | | military's grip on Fiji is "a step backwards" and |
| government will increase. | | | | demanded the restoration of democracy and fair |
| "The crime rate will definitely increase and there is a | | | | elections, as soon as possible. |
| possibility of a greater law-and-order situation in Fiji," | | | | Since his reappointment, Commodore Bainimarama |
| Bose said. "There are also soldiers who are going to | | | | has shown scant regard for such international |
| be losing their jobs because of the decree to lay off | | | | condemnation. |
| people who've reached 55. So, couple that with the | | | | He has imposed emergency restrictions, including |
| fact that people are not generally happy with the | | | | censorship of the media, and refuses to hold |
| way things are happening, you could have a situation | | | | elections before 2014. |