KEY POINTS:
Fiji's fate is in the hands of its people speaking out against the actions of military commander Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.
After striving for weeks to prevent a military coup in Fiji, Helen Clark was yesterday left with no option but to
impose sanctions and denounce Commodore Bainimarama.
Within minutes of Commodore Bainimarama's announcement last night that he had taken over the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Helen Clark said the commander had ripped up his country's constitution and set out to destroy the law.
The coup was "simply an extraordinary display of military arrogance", she said, and she could only conclude that Commodore Bainimarama was "severely deluded".
Helen Clark told National Radio today that all that could hold Commodore Bainimarama back now was if people in the military, who remained loyal to their oath of allegiance to the constitution, took him aside and told him "you're not running this show any more".
"I think the fate of Fiji now is very much in the hands of the Fiji people.
"The military commander's whole strategy is based on people just accepting this passively and letting life go on but I think there are signs across Fiji society, from the Grand Council of Chiefs to the church leaders, the NGOs, the head of the Public Service Commissioner, the incredibly brave statement of the acting commissioner of police yesterday, people do not like what they see."
Helen Clark has cut ties with Fiji, telling Parliament yesterday a ban had been imposed on senior military officers visiting New Zealand, military links had been suspended and she was talking to Commonwealth secretary-general Don McKinnon about suspending Fiji's membership.
Helen Clark said Fiji sports teams would not be coming here to play.
Other measures include freezing and reviewing New Zealand aid to Fiji.
Helen Clark said the defence bilateral relationship had been suspended yesterday "because we cannot have the military in New Zealand training and liaising with people like this".
Commodore Bainimarama was not able to come and see his family here any more.
"Over time, if his soldiers can't get training then they're going to be less likely to pick up the lucrative international peacekeeping jobs they've been getting.
"Any communications we have in Fiji will be through proper diplomatic channels."
The Government has been advising people to defer non-essential travel to Fiji which includes any New Zealanders thinking of going to Fiji for a holiday.
Helen Clark said there was no direct threat to New Zealanders in Fiji at the moment "but it's the equivalent of a holiday in hell to go to a place where the military are strutting the streets and proclaiming a coup".
The Government had planes available and there was space on Air New Zealand flights should New Zealanders need to be evacuated at any stage. Australia has ships off the coast on standby for this purpose.
Both Helen Clark and Australian Prime Minister John Howard yesterday turned down Mr Qarase's last-minute appeal for military intervention, saying sending troops would make matters worse.
The Government brokered talks in Wellington last week between Commodore Bainimarama and Mr Qarase which Helen Clark had hoped would at least set a framework for negotiations.
The military commander agreed to keep talking, but reneged on the deal when he returned to Suva.
Helen Clark put intense diplomatic pressure on Commodore Bainimarama, and he was warned of dire consequences if he went ahead with a military takeover.
She said she had tried to call and text Mr Qarase last night but could not get through.
Mr Qarase had told Helen Clark in a phone conversation yesterday afternoon he had been threatened with being sent to Nukulau island where convicted traitor George Speight is serving a life sentence.
Speight led a failed coup in 2000, backed by army mutineers, and pleaded guilty to treason.
"The tragedy of this situation is that Mr Bainimarama has turned himself into a Speight, and history will be his judge," Helen Clark said.
- NZPA
