Robert Wolfgramm, the editor-in-chief of the Fiji Daily Post, has appealed in The Sydney Morning Herald for like-minded individuals to "make [their] concern for our democracy known to [their] circles of influence".

Does Qarase deserve this? We will wait for the vanua (Fijian people) to express their opinion. I hope it is not bloody. Non-government organisations, churches and political parties, local and international, must all condemn this illegal seizure of power. As in 1987 and 2000, no government that calls itself a friend of Fiji must be left unimpressed by the catastrophe that has befallen us.

Laisenia Quarase, the prime minister of Fiji, according to another story in the Herald,

was moved by his supporters on Tuesday night to his home island. He told ABC Radio he planned pro-democracy protests.

Jona Senilagakali, the man appointed as interim Prime Minister by Fiji's military regime, said on ABC News tonight that the form of democracy that was suitable for Fiji may be different from that enjoyed by Australia and New Zealand. Rubbish.

Commodore Bainimarana, the military chief who has staged the coup, watched a rugby match last weekend and played touch football this afternoon in Suva. He's a monster, creeping into power, edging out the elected government by force of arms. It's horrible to watch. But there are signs — literally — that the vanua doesn't like what's happened (although I can't get the sight of all those contented rugby spectators out of my mind, sitting there happily in their seats with this hanging over their heads). The ABC News showed painted signs put up by private citizens that read "Democracy. No to guns." Maybe there's some hope that the coup will be reversed soon.