Author:
Publication: AFP
Date: March 1, 2001
The Court of Appeal on Thursday
upheld a High Court ruling declaring Fiji's interim government illegal
and the multiracial 1997 constitution still valid despite last year's coup.
A panel of five expatriate judges
dismissed the interim government's argument that a new legal order was
ushered in when the military abrogated the constitution following the May
19 coup.
The decision was read to the court
by New Zealand jurist Sir Maurice Casey, who presided over the panel of
judges hearing the case.
"We conclude that the interim civilian
government has not proved it has the aquiescence generally of the people
of Fiji," Casey said.
"Accordingly it cannot be recognised
as the legal government." ()
