A Coup in Fiji Islands

Who would think that an Island nation of 900,000 in the South Pacific would garner head lines? A Fiji military commander - Frank Bainimarama – took control of the reigns of government in a coup today. He suspended the authority of the Fiji President Ratu Josefa Iloilo and surrounded the house of the democratically elected Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and forcibly removed from being head of government.

Evidently it is all about a dispute between Bainimarama and Qarase over ethnic issues in the tiny Island. The majority of the populace is Fijian; however there is a significant minority of people with Indian decent. Bainimarama felt the majority Fijians represented by Qarase was about to squash the rights of the minority Indians.

Bainimarama took over with warnings that if any outside nation chooses to oppose Fiji internal affairs that the Fiji military will vigorously oppose them. That message was directed at New Zealand and Australia which have condemned the undemocratic coup of Bainimarama.

So why is the tiny nation in the head lines? Fiji is a highly developed nation in the Pacific which is a tourist haven. The coup might affect a robust tourist economy.

It is almost refreshing to read about old fashion coups instead of Islamofascist violence.