Fiji's Interim Government Declares: Qarase will not be PM again

The interim government of Fiji announced Tuesday that it would not allow former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase or any member of his SDL party to return to power.  Military spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, declared that if Qarase returns to power he will restore his racist, corrupt regime that the coup government was designed to resist.  He went on to say that the military would work to provide education and a way forward for the people of Fiji, but that Qarase's return would signal a renewal of divisive politics that would make it impossible for the Fiji's coup culture to ever end.  While Tikoitoga did not go into specific detail about what measures would be taken to bar Qarase from governmental election, Fijian leader Commodore Bainimaram reiterated his subordinate's sentiment that Qarase's return would be a step backward for Fiji and that he should not be allowed to return. 

Qarase has responded to the government's statement in saying that the Constitution does not bar him from running.  He said, "That's the law and under the Constitution, the particular provision relating to eligibility to standing in Parliament, I qualify to stand. . . That's the law and under the Constitution, the particular provision relating to eligibility to standing in Parliament, I qualify to stand."

While Fiji's next official election is not scheduled to take place until March 13, 2009 (please see Impunity Watch's coverage of this story here), there may be reason to believe that Qarase and the interim government will formally clash in the relatively near future.  Earlier this week Qarase was almost forced to cancel his trip to Fiji's capital city of Suva after receiving a telephone death threat from someone who identified himself as a military official and after Fiji Air claimed that they were instructed by the military not to board the former PM.  After Qarase's lawyer Tevita Fa demanded that police forces investigate the the death threats, Fiji Air rescinded their earlier statement and said that there had never been a directive to bar Qarase passage.  Qarase did eventually touch down at Nausori Airport in Suva, his first time back since the coup, without incident. 

Military spokesmen have categorically denied having anything to do with either the death threat or the no passage directive to Fiji Air. 

Please see also:
"'Qarase will not be PM again'"  Fijitimes Online (4 September 2007)
"Qarase glad to be back" Fijitimes Online (2 September 2007)
"Fiji military restates opposition to Qarase politics" Radio New Zealand International (3 September 2007)
"Ousted Fiji PM hopes to fix Suva travel plans today" Radio New Zealand International (30 August 2007)
"Fiji military says Qarase has no travel ban" Radio New Zealand International  (29 August 2007)
"Deposed Fiji PM's lawyer reports death threat to police" Radio New Zealand International  (28 August 2007)