BBC Breaking: Military 'takes control of Fiji'

[jannyk]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6208758.stm

The military commander of Fiji has announced he has taken over control of the country.

Cmdr Bainimarama accused the prime minister of carrying out a silent coup and leading Fiji on a path of doom.

Mr Qarase said earlier he had been put under house arrest as troops blockaded his home in the capital, Suva.

[SaveAmerica]

1. It's a cruel, cruel summer, Mr. Qarase was quoted as saying, leaving

me here on my own...

[leftstreet]

2. ...

:spray:

[Hardrada]

3. I didn't know they even had a military.

Are we supposed to worry about this??

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Sure- it contributes a huge amount to UN peacekeeping for its size

Population (2005 est.): 846,085.
...
Fiji's contributions to UN peacekeeping are unique for a nation of its size. It maintains about 600 soldiers and police overseas in UN peacekeeping missions, with MFO Sinai in the Middle East, East Timor, and Iraq.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1834.htm

That would be the equivalent of the US contributed 200,000 to UN peacekeeping.

[Gman]

4. I wonder what the CIA has to do with this

[ButterflyBlood]

8. Most likely nothing

Fiji has coups regularly due to the ethnic tensions between native Fijians and Indo-Fijians (descendents of Indian workers the British brought there). It's a completely domestic situation, and the US doesn't really gain or lose anything either way no matter what happens (I mean, it's Fiji!)

[Ian David]

5. Wasn't Fiji part of the "Coalition of the Willing"? n/t

[Tight_rope]

7. Again...how long this time!

:shrug:

[yellowcanine]

9. Well it has been over 6 years. That is longer than the Eye-racki government will last without

a coup. The bar is pretty low these days, isn't it?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/771093.stm