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).
?
"Nobody knows what he wants ... we're just keeping our fingers
crossed that he won't go ahead," Qarase told New Zealand National
Radio Friday morning.
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)
