Fiji tribal chiefs reject coup

Fiji8217;s powerful tribal chiefs on Friday refused to recognise last week8217;s military takeover, and said they would hold consultations next week with the ousted prime minister on the country8217;s future.

Fiji8217;s powerful tribal chiefs on Friday refused to recognise last week8217;s military takeover, and said they would hold consultations next week with the ousted prime minister on the country8217;s future. Armed Forces chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama responded by warning the council not to try to restore deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to power.

Bainimarama also said he would not attend a scheduled meeting of the Great Council of Chiefs GCC next week unless it recognised him as Fiji8217;s president, escalating a standoff with the powerful group. Council Chairman Ratu Ovini Bokini said earlier Friday the group still considers one of its members, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, to be Fiji8217;s President8212;a direct challenge to Bainimarama8217;s claim to have seized presidential powers on December 5.

8220;That is a non-issue,8221; Bokini said of Iloilo8217;s status. 8220;He8217;s still the president.8221;

Recognition from the chiefs is important because they hold constitutional power to appoint the president and have huge influence among the South Pacific nation8217;s indigenous Fijian majority.

Bainimarama8217;s plans for the country depend on the council. He wants the council to reappoint Iloilo, for the president to swear in the military8217;s hand-picked interim government, which, in turn, would eventually call elections to restore democracy.

Bokini said the chiefs would invite Qarase to attend the meeting, slated for next Wednesday and Thursday, but that it had not yet decided whether to invite Bainimarama.

Told of Qarase8217;s invitation, Bainimarama said the military would not allow anyone to restore Qarase to power.

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8220;We have made it clear 8230; that Qarase is not coming back,8221; he said. 8220;The GCC nor any institution is not going to bring it back, we8217;ll make sure of that.8221;

Meanwhile, the GCC8217;s strong backing for the ousted President Iloilo has provoked a sharply-worded condemnation of the coup from an influential alliance of Fiji8217;s churches, accusing its leader of lies and likening the military to an 8220;evil force.8221;

The statement was issued by 25 local churches which Radio New Zealand said included the Methodist Church, the Pacific nation8217;s largest denomination, but not the Roman Catholics or Anglicans.