Fiji Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ====2009 transfer of power==== {{main|2009 Fijian constitutional crisis}} In April 2009, the [[Court of Appeal of Fiji|Fiji Court of Appeal]] overturned the High Court decision that Bainimarama's takeover of Qarase's government was lawful and declared the interim government to be illegal. Bainimarama agreed to step down as interim prime minister immediately, along with his government, and President Iloilo was to appoint a new prime minister. President Iloilo [[Obrogation|abrogated]] the constitution, and removed all office holders under the constitution including all judges and the governor of the Central Bank. In his own words, he "appoint[ed] [him]self as the Head of the State of Fiji under a new legal order".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fiji.gov.fj/publish/page_14712.shtml |title=President's Address to the Nation |access-date=22 April 2009 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818171844/http://www.fiji.gov.fj/publish/page_14712.shtml |archive-date=18 August 2009 }}, fiji.gov.fj (10 April 2009).</ref> He then reappointed Bainimarama under his "New Order" as interim prime minister and imposed a "Public Emergency Regulation" limiting internal travel and allowing press censorship. On 2 May 2009, Fiji became the first nation ever to have been suspended from participation in the [[Pacific Islands Forum]], for its failure to hold democratic elections by the date promised.<ref>[http://www.forumsec.org/pages.cfm/newsroom/press-statements/2009/forum-chair-on-suspension-of-fiji-military-regime-from-pif.html Statement by Forum Chair on suspension of the Fiji military regime from the Pacific Islands Forum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324102614/http://www.forumsec.org/pages.cfm/newsroom/press-statements/2009/forum-chair-on-suspension-of-fiji-military-regime-from-pif.html |date=24 March 2012 }}; PIFS Press Statement (21/09), 2 May 2009</ref><ref name="RNZI_46320">{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=46320 |title=Chair of Pacific Islands Forum says Fiji has been suspended |date=2 May 2009 |website=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |access-date=30 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303132142/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=46320 |archive-date=3 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevertheless, it remains a member of the Forum. On 1 September 2009, Fiji was suspended from the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. The action was taken because Bainimarama failed to hold elections by 2010 as the Commonwealth of Nations had demanded after the 2006 coup. Bainimarama stated a need for more time to end a voting system that heavily favoured ethnic Fijians at the expense of the multi-ethnic minorities. Critics claimed that he had suspended the constitution and was responsible for [[human rights]] violations by arresting and detaining opponents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/34580/213088/010909fijisuspended.htm |title=Fiji suspended from the Commonwealth |date=1 September 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth.org |access-date=2 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904153829/http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/34580/213088/010909fijisuspended.htm |archive-date=4 September 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8231717.stm |title=Fiji suspended from Commonwealth |work=BBC News |date=1 September 2009 |access-date=2 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610103352/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8231717.stm |archive-date=10 June 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> In his 2010 New Year's address, Bainimarama announced the lifting of the Public Emergency Regulations (PER). However, the PER was not rescinded until January 2012, and the Suva Philosophy Club was the first organisation to reorganise and convene public meetings.<ref>Fiji Times, 'PER Lifted' (12 January 2012)</ref> The PER had been put in place in April 2009 when the former constitution was abrogated. The PER had allowed restrictions on speech, public gatherings, and censorship of news media and had given security forces added powers. He also announced a nationwide consultation process leading to a new constitution under which the 2014 elections were held. The official name of the country was reverted to ''Republic of Fiji'' in February 2011.<ref>In February 2011, the prime minister's office issued a statement saying that the name of the state had officially changed from the Republic of the Fiji Islands to the '''Republic of Fiji''' and that the name written in the 1997 constitution was now void (the constitution has been suspended since April 2009). Compare: {{cite web|publisher=Fijivillage.com|url= http://fijivillage.com/news/Country-is-now-officially-called-Republic-of-Fiji-5s9r2k/|title= Country is now officially called Republic of Fiji|date= 3 February 2011|access-date= 22 June 2016|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160622152850/http://fijivillage.com/news/Country-is-now-officially-called-Republic-of-Fiji-5s9r2k/|archive-date= 22 June 2016|quote = The country is now officially called Republic of Fiji.<br />Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, Colonel Pio Tikoduadua said the name, Republic of the Fiji Islands, as stated in the 1997 constitution is no longer applicable.}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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