Fiji

Fiji: Foreign Affairs Stamp Requirement Complicates Tourist Weddings

Date: June 19th, 2008 |

Tourist weddings in Fiji have dropped by two-thirds since 2004 because of a government requirement for a special stamp on marriage certificates. For a marriage to be recognized in other countries, it must have a stamp from the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs. He is the only person authorized to use the special seal, and [read more]

Fiji: New State of Emergency Imposed

Date: September 12th, 2007 |

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Military rulers reimposed a state of emergency three months after the previous one was lifted. The move permits authorities to detain people without charge. Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who overthrew the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase in December, imposed the measure because Qarase returned to the capital Suva after eight months in exile on his [read more]

Fiji: State of Emergency Lifted

Date: June 6th, 2007 |

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The state of emergency imposed by Commodore Frank Bainimarama after a bloodless military coup in December 2006 was scheduled to be lifted June 7. The regulations were necessary to ensure the safety of civilians and property, Bainimarama said, and anyone threatening public order will still face police action. Restrictions on the media and public gatherings [read more]

Fiji: Military Stages Coup

Date: December 5th, 2006 |

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After a year of political tension, the military staged a bloodless coup Dec. 5 and took control of the country. A state of emergency is in effect and military checkpoints have been established in Suva. The city was calm on the day of the coup, but unrest is possible. Defer non-essential travel to Suva until [read more]

Fiji: Tensions between Military and Government

Date: October 31st, 2006 |

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Political tensions have increased in Fiji following the threat by the head of the military to remove the prime minister sometime in November and the recent call-up of 3,000 reserves. The military leader opposes parliamentary bills that would grant pardons to people involved in the 2000 coup. In the wake of the call for the [read more]

Fiji: Military Lifts State of Emergency

Date: October 11th, 2007 |

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The state of emergency imposed last month when deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase returned to Suva was lifted Oct. 6 because, according to a military spokesman, there was no threat to the nation. The emergency allegedly was declared as a precaution against unrest but none materialized. Qarase has mounted a legal challenge against the military [read more]

Fiji: Nurses’ Strike Could Cause Tensions

Date: July 25th, 2007 |

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The Australian government warned its citizens about travel to Fiji in the face of a nurses’ strike that began July 24. Other unions threatened to join the strike amid rumors that the military state of emergency, which was lifted May 31, may be reinstated. All police officers on leave were called back to duty and [read more]

Fiji: State of Emergency Remains in Force

Date: January 24th, 2007 |

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In the aftermath of the Dec. 5 coup, the military installed an interim government that reaffirmed Jan. 15 that a state of emergency remains in effect throughout the islands. According to a U.S. State Department announcement, many individual rights have been curtailed and those who speak out against the military have been questioned, detained and [read more]

Fiji: Coup Threat Rattles Islands

Date: November 28th, 2006 |

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A political crisis pitting the prime minister against the military commander has pushed the nation to the brink of a military coup. Australia’s foreign minister warned that a takeover was likely to occur within two weeks, and both Australia and New Zealand have warned their citizens about travel here because of possible conflict. New Zealand [read more]

Fiji: Extra Police to Oversee Elections

Date: May 2nd, 2006 |

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Voters go to the polls May 6-13 in the second election since a 2000 coup pushed ethnic Indian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry out of power. Authorities canceled all police leave for the month and planned to deploy an extra 1,000 officers to monitor the polls, with another thousand on standby. Tensions surfaced May 1 when [read more]