(5 Dec 2006)
1. Pan from supporters to troops outside Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's house
2. Child sitting by barrier
3. Troops putting out barbed wire
4. Qarase's supporters sitting by barrier
5. Supporters arriving at barrier
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Voxpop:
"I think it's wrong, It's illegal what he's doing is illegal. I'm here to support the democratically elected Prime Minster of the country and support the rule of law. So what he is doing is wrong. I don't care what he thinks or what he's says, it's wrong."
7. Various of people on street corner
8.SOUNDBITE (English) Voxpop:
"He's doing the right thing."
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Voxpop:
"It's no good."
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Voxpop:
"I think it's not good"
(Reporter's Question: "Why not?" )
"Because the government is doing now is ok with us and the military is not good."
11. Military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama walking into news conference
12. Cutaway of media
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Fiji Military Commander :
"As of six o'clock this evening (0600 GMT), the military has taken over the government, has executive authority and the running of this country."
14. Cutaway of media
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Fiji Military Commander :
"Please do not be intimidated or scared. They are there to ensure that people do not break the law and hence ensure everybody's security. I reiterate my call to those who I think conducted illegal activities against the populace, and or against the military and police, not to do so."
16. Supporters inside Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's residence
17. Various of Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's residence greeting supporters
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Laisenia Qarase, Fijian Prime Minister :
"Yes I heard the commander this evening but I'd like to say that the government there they want to set up will be totally illegal. The actions they've taken can of course are unconstitutional and what the military commander has done has raped our Constitution and we are becoming a laughing stock around the world for the actions that have happened in the last few days. They have brought shame to the country, it is a national embarrassment and I would appeal to all right thinking citizens that we should stand up and fight for our democracy, by peaceful means of course, and I don't think we should take this lying down."
19. Various of people walking through gates outside Prime Minister's home
20. Various of troops stationed outside Prime Ministers home.
21. Various of military check point along road
STORYLINE:
Fiji's military commander announced on Tuesday he had taken control of the country from the elected government, confirming the South
Pacific nation's fourth coup in less than two decades.
"As of 6 o'clock this evening, the military has taken over the government, has executive authority and the running of this country," Commodore Frank Bainimarama told a news conference broadcast nationally.
Bainimarama said he had invoked special powers under the Constitution to assume some powers of the president, and was using them to dismiss Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase from office and appoint an interim replacement.
He said he would surrender the presidential powers next week, and would ask the country's Great Council of Chiefs to restore them to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo, who he expected would then appoint a full caretaker government.
Elections to restore democracy would follow sometime after that, he said.
Ethnic Indians are a minority of about 44 percent, with most of the rest ethnic Chinese.
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