Fiji Military Says It Will Lift Martial Law

Posted on Jan 1, 2012

Simon Greening (CC-BY-ND)

Two years after imposing martial law, Fiji’s illegal, internationally sanctioned military dictatorship has promised to end an indefinite state of emergency and craft a new constitution on the way to democratic elections. It’s a needed reminder that there are many places outside the Middle East and lower Manhattan where people yearn for a government accountable to its citizens.  —PZS

The Guardian:

The Fijian prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, said in a new year’s message that the Public Emergency Regulations would be repealed. The regulations gave police and the military extended powers, imposed tough censorship on the nation’s media and tightly controlled public assembly.

The military government of 2006 coup leader Commodore Bainimarama overturned the country’s constitution in 2009 after the nation’s court of appeal ruled the military government was illegal.

In his statement late on Sunday, Bainimarama said public order would be maintained and he would soon announce nationwide consultation for a new constitution, beginning next month, to establish a democratically elected government.

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