Fijians have been withdrawing money under the cloud of the expected coup. Picture / Greg Bowker
Fiji military commander Frank Bainimarama's "clean-up" campaign may begin as early as today.
A Fijian Sunday newspaper, citing "well-placed sources" in the military and Government, said a blockade of Suva was expected to be put in place at 3am.
The President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, would then dissolve the
Government and an interim Administration would be set up.
Commodore Bainimarama was not asked directly about this report, but the tone of an hour-long interview he gave to Fiji television suggested that action was imminent.
The Army was taking over now, he said, and warned against intervention by foreign troops.
He also warned people against looting - looting and arson during the 2000 coup cost Fiji about $127 million - and said the Army and police would act together to stop it.
The Commodore rejected an assertion by Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase that he would be acting illegally and gave Mr Qarase a last chance to resign.
"He says there are three ways to remove him, but the military says there are 5001 ways to skin a cat," the Commodore said.
He declined to give details of the lineup of his interim Government but said President Iloilo was the only person he was listening to.
Mr Qarase and three members of his Cabinet watched the live interview from the Prime Minister's offices over the road from the studio.
The Prime Minister emerged 30 minutes later and told the Herald his national security council had met to consider the Commodore's "latest and ever-changing demands".
"We have decided to convene a special meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday morning [to] consider these demands and we will bemaking a decision as the Government on those demands."
Mr Qarase said he did not expect the military to act today, nor did he plan to call for international help. That was "out of the question".
Commodore Bainimarama said the damage to tourism meant it was important the clean-up campaign occurred as quickly as possible.
People should go about their business as usual today and the transition would be peaceful, he said. The Army and police would protect all citizens and visitors.
