Commonwealth 'to suspend Fiji after coup'

Fiji is likely to be suspended from the British Commonwealth and its former colonies later this week in response to a coup, Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said today.

The commonwealth ministerial action group, including representatives from Malta, Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, Canada and Malaysia, will take up the issue on Friday, McKinnon said.

“The likelihood of Fiji being suspended is high,” he said.

Fiji’s military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, today announced he had taken control of the country from the elected government, confirming the nation’s fourth coup in less than two decades

“I deplore the action by Commodore Bainimarama and the Fiji Royal Military Defence Force in placing the democratically elected prime minister of Fiji under house arrest and assuming executive control of Fiji,” said McKinnon.

“This is a clear attack on the democratically elected government of Fiji and a serious violation of shared commonwealth values and principles.”