Deposed Fiji PM flown out of capital

SUVA, Dec 6 (Reuters) Deposed Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase was flown out of the capital Suva to his home island today, a day after the military exercised a bloodless overthrow in Fiji's fourth coup in 20 years.

Qarase and his wife Leba were taken from his residence before sunrise and flown to the island of Vanua Balavu to the east of the main island, government and airport sources told Reuters.

Soldiers had barricaded Qarase inside his home yesterday before military Commander Frank Bainimarama assumed power and appointed an interim premier.

Qarase and Bainimarama had been involved in a power struggle all year, with the military leader accusing Qarase of being too soft on the perpetrators of Fiji's last coup in 2000.

The streets of the capital remained calm as Fijians woke to their first full day of military rule today.

Soldiers were stationed in all local media offices to ensure statements by Qarase were not broadcast or published.

The main Fiji Times newspaper suspended publication and the main television station was not airing normal news broadcasts.

The smaller Fiji Sun published as usual with a picture of Bainimarama on the front page, while the Fiji Daily Post splashed the headline ''Coup'' on its front page.

Bainimarama has been condemned internationally with Australia and New Zealand saying they would impose sanctions on Fiji's military, and Fiji also likely to be suspended from the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon said on Australian Broadcasting Corp radio that foreign ministers from the 53-nation organisation were likely to suspend Fiji on Friday.

Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Bainimarama's actions appeared in part to have been linked to a demand that police drop an investigation into the beating and murder of five Fiji soldiers in 2000.

''That is in other words demanding that the police act outside of the law,'' he told Australian radio.

Bainimarama had threatened to topple Qarase's government and finally acted yesterday, saying he had temporarily stepped into President Ratu Josefa Iloilo's role as head of state as the military manned roadblocks around the capital.

Promising the takeover would not be permanent, Bainimarama said he had appointed little-known Jona Senilagakali Baravilala, a former military doctor and political novice, as interim prime minister before fresh elections were called.

Reuters SRS VP0440