Fiji PM calls for calm, army chief repeats threat

SUVA, Oct 18 (Reuters) Fiji's prime minister called his security heads together today and urged Fijians to remain calm after an ultimatum by the nation's military chief threatened more instability in the racially divided nation.

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase called military, police and other security officials together before briefing the South Pacific nation's ailing president on the threat by military commander Frank Bainimarama to force him from office.

''There was no threat to order and security,'' Qarase said in a statement broadcast repeatedly on Fijian radio.

''I urge all citizens to remain calm and carry on with their daily lives in the normal way. They should not be misled by rumours and hearsay,'' he said.

Bainimarama, who imposed martial law in the wake of a May 2000 coup by armed nationalists, is a frequent critic of Qarase's mainly indigenous government which was re-elected in a May poll.

Yesterday, he said Qarase's government should drop two contentious pieces of legislation -- one offering amnesty for those involved in the 2000 coup and the other involving indigenous land rights -- or it would be forced to resign.

Bainimarama has said he is not threatening another coup but said today the choice for Qarase and Justice Minister Qoriniasi Bale was clear.

''Get rid of the bills or resign,'' Bainimarama, who is visiting Fijian troops in Sinai, was quoted as saying by news Web site fijilive.com.

''We do not want or expect violence from any quarter unless of course Qarase and Bale want to take us in that direction, in which case they should be held responsible for any bloodshed,'' he said.

The stand-off between Qarase and Bainimarama comes at a potentially embarrassing time for Fiji as it prepares to host a forum of South Pacific leaders next week.

Bainimarama barely escaped with his life after supporters of the 2000 coup staged an attempted mutiny in November that year.

Qarase was appointed Fiji's interim leader by Bainimarama after the 2000 coup and went on to win free elections in 2001.

The pair have since fallen out, with Bainimarama accusing Qarase of being too lenient on those responsible for the coup and attempted mutiny.

Fiji's three coups and attempted mutiny since 1987 were mainly because of divisions between indigenous Fijians who fear losing political power to ethnic Indians who dominate the tourism- and sugar-led economy.

Indigenous Fijians make up about 51 per cent of the 906,000 population in the former British colony once known as ''the Cannibal Isles''.

Bainimarama has made similar threats in the past, including before the May election, over Qarase's proposed Reconciliation and Unity Bill that would include amnesty for those involved in the 2000 coup in return for evidence about it.

Bainimarama has also opposed a new land law, the ''Qoliqoli Bill'', that would enshrine indigenous ownership of coastal land.

Bainimarama fears it will hurt Fiji's fragile tourism industry, which was hard hit by the 2000 coup.

Reuters DKA DB1108