The head of Fiji's military forces has issued Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase with a 24-hour ultimatum to clean up his government or face removal.
Military Commander Frank Bainimarama said yesterday's crisis talks in New Zealand had been a failure. He gave Mr Qarase 24 hours to meet all his demands or he would start his threatened "clean-up campaign".
"I stress it will be a peaceful clean-up campaign," said Mr Bainimarama, whose troops staged a three-hour show of force by securing parts of the capital overnight.
Suva residents were stockpiling supplies from supermarkets, and cash machines were running short of money despite attempts by Mr Qarase to allay fears in a national address.
Mr Bainimarama has repeatedly threatened to remove Mr Qarase's government unless it drops three pieces of legislation, including a bill that would grant amnesty to those involved in a 2000 coup.
Mr Bainimarama gave Mr Qarase a list of "non-negotiable demands" and a two-week deadline last week.
His demands included the resignation or removal of Fiji Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes and the dropping of police investigations into whether his threats were seditious.