Fiji invokes emergency powers to silence former PM

CANBERRA, Sep 6 (Reuters) Fiji's military coup leader Frank Bainimarama invoked emergency powers in the Pacific Islands nation today to target the man he ousted from power, former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Fiji media reported.

The move follows increasing tension between Bainimarama and Qarase, who returned to Fiji's capital Suva from an outlying island last weekend for the first time since he was removed from power in a bloodless coup last December.

The Fijilive Web site (www.fijilive.com) said Bainimarama invoked the emergency regulations today, accusing Qarase and his party spokesman of trying to destabilise the country with allegations of intimidation by Fiji's military.

''If they try to speak out and destabilise the country again, then they will be taken back to the islands. Once that happens, the emergency regulation ends. The rest of us just move on with our lives,'' Bainimarama said.

Suva remained calm today. Bainimarama had earlier threated to expel Qarase back to the former prime minister's home island of Vanuabalavu if he continued to comment on political matters.

Earlier this week, six judges from New Zealand and Australia resigned from Fiji's Court of Appeal because of concerns over how the court is run.

A former British colony of about 900,000 people, Fiji had its Commonwealth membership suspended after the December 5 coup, just as it did after two similar upheavals in 1987 and in 2000.

REUTERS RJ MSJ RAI1123