Timeline: Fiji (from 1643 to April 2009), 11 April 2009
Country profile: Fiji (Overview, Facts, Leaders, Media with links)
Profile: Fiji's new military leader, 30 May, 2000
Q&A: Fiji election, 5 May 2006
Race issue central to Fiji poll, 6 May 2006
Background to Fiji's four coups (MAY AND SEPTEMBER 1987, 19 MAY 2000, 5 DECEMBER 2006)
In pictures: Fiji coup, 5 December 2006, 10 pictures, half of the military
Fijians take on dangerous Iraq roles, 15 March 2007
NZ and Fiji each expel diplomats, 23 December 2008
UN to mediate for Fiji democracy25 December 2008
Eyewitness: Fiji's worst floods, 15 January 2009
Pacific leaders set Fiji deadline, 27 January 2009
Fiji leader defiant after threats, 28 January 2009
Fiji coup leader rules out vote, 5 March 2009
Fiji coup regime ruled unlawful, 9 April 2009
Fiji coup leader restored as PM, 11 April 2009
Democratic future fades for Fiji, 13 April 2009
Media crackdown by Fiji military, 13 April 2009
Army chief Frank Bainimarama has
strengthened his grip on power
Fijians are feeling the force of a new military government with censors now controlling the media.
Under a 30-day state of emergency, newspapers and broadcasters are not allowed to carry stories
critical of the army's grip on power in Fiji.
Army chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama has been reinstated as prime minister. He regained
office after the president scrapped the constitution and dismissed the judges who had declared
the military government to be illegal.
Editors at Fiji's newspapers as well as its television and radio stations have been ordered not to
publish or broadcast any material that shows the military in a bad light. Journalists must submit
any sensitive stories to government officials for approval. Should these directives be ignored
then media organisations could be shut down.
Defiance
There has been some attempt by newspapers and broadcasters to voice their displeasure.
The Fiji Times left one of its pages blank except for a message which said that that certain
stories could not be printed because of government regulations. Fiji Television's main evening
news bulletin was cancelled in protest at the restrictions. It was replaced by a programme
about fishing. The Fiji Media Council said the censorship of the press was a tragedy for a
country where free and vigorous reporting has become a proud tradition.
Fiji has been run by its army chief, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, since December 2006,
when troops ousted an elected government that senior officers said was corrupt and
discriminating against the ethnic Indian minority. Last week, the military take-over was
declared illegal by the country's Court of Appeal, which prompted Commodore Bainimarama
to step down as interim prime minister.
Fiji's President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, who is a loyal supporter of the armed forces commander,
responded by scrapping the constitution and dismissing the judiciary.
The military administration was reinstated, its grip on power now stronger than ever.