When Do They Call It A Coup?

The Australian government is stopping short of calling the situation in Fiji a coup at this point. However, the elected prime minister is essentially a prisoner in his own home with troops surrounding the building. But there also may be a sever split within the ranks of the military itself over the wisdom of following the course of taking over the nation.

FIJIAN Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase was a prisoner in his own home last night, surrounded by his security detail after the country's military began tightening its control, seizing a threatening police arsenal of weapons and setting up road blocks around the capital Suva.

The pressure building between the military and the Government came as Australia's intelligence pointed to a split in the military over the so-called "clean-up" campaign and warned of the potential for the situation to end in violence.

About 6.20pm (4.20pm AEDT) a truck carrying soldiers turned up at the gate of Mr Qarase's residence, and the soldiers demanded to be admitted. The police at the gate responded by saying they could not allow them in and the soldiers retreated in the presence of the international media.

Five minutes later, Mr Qarase, accompanied by two carloads of security and police, left his residence after being summoned to President Josefa Iloilo's home nearby. The President not long before had sent a letter to the military commander, Frank Bainimarama, who for weeks has been threatening a coup to "clean up" the Government.

Mr Qarase said the military who stopped him at the President's gate demanded he walk up the drive, something he refused to do, forcing his cavalcade to turn around and return home without speaking to the President.

As Commodore Bainimarama gave a much-anticipated press conference after 6pm, military units began setting up roadblocks around the capital city.

At Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Suva, Commodore Bainimarama said his troops had earlier seized guns from the police tactical response unit headquarters and the police armoury to ensure they were not used against the military.

He also revealed that his officers had taken weapons from the Prime Minister's bodyguards by mistake, but then Commodore Bainimarama cut short the press conference and refused to take questions.

I'd probably be inclined to call this a coup, even if it is bloodless at this point. Generally speaking, taking the head of state prisoner is considered an unfriendly act.