Word: bainimarama
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Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama called the damage caused by Cyclone Tomas--which struck Fiji late on March 12 and lasted more than four days--"overwhelming." While only one death had been confirmed as of March 16, the full extent of the destruction caused by winds of up to 130 m.p.h. (209 km/h) was still being assessed. Australia and New Zealand quickly began to send aid to Fiji, which lies about 2,000 miles (3,220 km) northeast of Sydney...
...Fiji Trouble in Paradise A day after Fiji's court of appeal declared the regime of military chief Frank Bainimarama unlawful, his ally, President Ratu Josefa Iloilo, abolished the constitution, sacked Fiji's judges and reinstated Bainimarama as Prime Minister. Bainimarama, who seized power in a 2006 coup, wants to reform a political system he calls racist and corrupt. Critics, however, call him a dictator. Fiji's central bank has devalued its currency 20% to boost exports and tourism amid the turmoil...
...punching him. It was terrifying." At press time Khan was in hospital with a reported broken jaw and ribs; he had not been charged. Police said he had resisted arrest. Eleven men had appeared in court on charges of incitement to mutiny and conspiracy to murder. In a statement, Bainimarama said there were "disgruntled groups" in Fiji who "have the potential to go to extremes" to undermine his government...
...Among those arrested were six ex-soldiers from the special-forces Counter Revolutionary Warfare unit, elements of which were linked to both the 2000 coup against then-P.M. Chaudhry and a subsequent mutiny in which Bainimarama narrowly escaped assassination. Also arrested was ex-intelligence chief Col. Metuisela Mua, who served a jail term for his part in the 2000 events...
...After the arrests, Fiji's police chief accused unnamed "lurking nations" of interfering in Fiji; Bainimarama later said there was no evidence Australia or New Zealand had any role in the alleged plot...