Army warns new government

[posted 19 May 2006,1630]

Even before he was sworn in as prime minister, Laisenia Qarase and the military were at each other’s throats again with an angry army chief threatening martial law if the SDL continued to pick a quarrel with him.

The Commander’s anger was flamed by reports that the new government had approached NZ for assistance in replacing the Commander with a New Zealander.

New Zealand has denied the reports.

Earlier the army chief had made it clear he was unhappy with the SDL in government again. He would have preferred a Labour government which would have ensured stability.

Politics is not a matter of numbers in Parliament. “It is good governance. It is the rule of law… People vote for bread and butter issues…I doubt very much that people vote for them to fight the military,” an angry Bainimarama said.

He warned the government that if it continued to pick a quarrel with the army, it could lead to the establishment of martial law. “If there is any move to weaken the army, we will stop it,” he warned.