Elections may be two years off in coup-hit Fiji

SUVA, Dec 7 (Reuters) Fiji's military-appointed caretaker prime minister said today elections in his country may be two years away and Fiji would build ties with Asia to circumvent economic sanctions imposed in the wake of a military coup.

Military doctor Jona Baravilala Senilagakali, a Methodist lay preacher and political novice, said the military would determine the timing of elections in the South Pacific nation, which was this week hit by its fourth coup in 20 years.

''It will totally be up to the military president and the military advisers to return Fiji back to normalcy. That could be tomorrow, that could be next week, it could be in the next two years or more,'' Senilagakali told Reuters.

''Hopefully in 12 months, two years, we'll be able to have a general election, but we will do that (continue to govern) until we are certain that what we are going to do in the future will be for the best interests of the people of Fiji,'' he said.

Military chief Commander Frank Bainimarama staged a bloodless coup on Tuesday, ousting the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, claiming it was corrupt and had been soft on those behind Fiji's last coup in 2000.

But there is growing opposition to the coup from Fijian political and business leaders and churches.

Fijians have been asked to wear black today in protest at the military takeover, while Qarase has called for non-violent protests and both Australia and New Zealand have called for Fijians to engage in passive resistance to restore democracy.

Bainimarama warned yesterday he was prepared to use force to suppress any uprising.

''DIVINE AUTHORITY'' Australia, New Zealand, Britain and the United States have imposed economic and defence sanctions against Fiji.

''I warn the Australian and New Zealand prime ministers to stay out of our business and to respect the sovereignty of the Fiji islands,'' said Senilagakali.

Senilagakali said Fiji would seek assistance from Asian economies such as Indonesia, Taiwan and China to circumvent sanctions, just as it did following a 1987 coup.

Qarase and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer have described the coup as a move towards dictatorship.

Bainimarama has taken over the role of the president and declared a state of emergency. He has said an interim administration will steer Fiji to new elections, but there is no sign yet of when that administration will be formed.

Senilagakali said he was ordered by Bainimarama to accept his new position. ''Whatever the commander tells me to do, I have no choice but to do it,'' he told Australian radio, adding he believed the coup was in Fiji's best interests.

''I have this conviction that I have been called by divine authority to do something for the people of Fiji. I will continue until I clean out the mess in Fiji,'' he said.

Senilagakali said the new government would bring ''joy and peace'' to the people of Fiji, saying the island nation needed a new form of democracy.

''Democracy might be all right for Australia and New Zealand but certainly not all right for Fiji, I can tell you that,'' he said. ''I think in Fiji we need a different type of democracy.'' Reuters AD VP0755