4 Dec 2006

Fiji soldiers take guns from police armouries

4:50 pm on 4 December 2006

The Fiji military has been loading weapons from the base of the police tactical response unit, as the military commander keeps demanding the resignation of the prime minister.

This comes after the military said it wants to inspect the arms and police said they were awaiting authorisation from the home affairs minister.

Walter Zweifel reports from Suva.

"It is not clear who issued what orders to proceed and while the army loaded the police weapons the trucks haven't left the police base at Nasinu. Another group of soldiers has now surrounded the armoury at the police academy at Nasuva. Meanwhile today's planned meeting of chiefs from the Burebusaga confederacy has been postponed until tomorrow. It's paramount chief, Ro Teimumu Kepa, who is also the minister of education, has told a local radio station that the military won't make any move before the chiefs have met. She has also spoken out strongly against the military's tactics. The military's says it won't comment any further until tonight when the Commander Commodore Bainimarama will hold a news conference."