Armed men launched a dramatic coup in Fiji yesterday, storming Parliament and taking Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his cabinet hostage before declaring they had seized power on behalf of indigenous Fijians.
Seven men wearing civilian clothes burst into the parliamentary chamber in Suva, firing at least two shots from automatic rifles before locking up Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime minister and his mixed-race cabinet.
Mr Chaudhry was heard to tell his MPs to "hold your seats" while the Speaker of Parliament, Apenisa Kurisaqila, told the men what they were doing was "illegal", local media reports said.
Last night, the gunmen still held an unknown number of government ministers and MPs hostage as negotiations to resolve the crisis were continuing.
Yesterday morning's events sparked widespread rioting and looting in Suva, much of apparently directed at Fiji's large ethnic Indian population.
A curfew imposed last night appeared to be having little effect, Radio Fiji reported, with youths burning kiosks around Suva's bus station.
The attempted coup came on the first anniversary of the election of Mr Chaudhry, whom Fijian nationalists have accused of promoting pro-Indian policies.
Fiji's third coup in 13 years was led by Fiji businessman George Speight, the son of an MP, who declared he had taken control of the island nation on behalf of indigenous Fijians.
Mr Speight later announced he had appointed low-profile MP Ratu Timoci Silatolu, elected only last May, as interim prime minister, and had revoked the powers of Fiji's President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.
But within hours, Ratu Mara had declared a state of emergency and imposed a 7pm to 6am curfew.
Former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who led two military coups in 1987 to depose an Indian-dominated government, tried to negotiate an end to the stand-off before leaving Parliament House at 9pm local time to meet Ratu Mara.
Mr Rabuka would not comment on the outcome of the talks, Fiji's Internet news website (www.fijilive.com) reported.
An unknown number of government MPs were still being held in a dark room at Parliament House, although Speaker Kurisaqila had been released.
Among the hostages was the president's daughter, government minister Adi Koila Mara, Fijilive.com said.
May 31: Fiji's new military rulers tore up the country's constitution yesterday but their declaration of martial law failed to rein in rebel leader George Speight or win the release of his government hostages.
Military commander-in-chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama seized power on Monday night and yesterday issued a decree revoking Fiji's 1997 constitution, which had restored political rights to Fiji's ethnic Indians lost after the 1987 military coups.
The military regime replaced that of President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, announced only three days ago. Ratu Mara stood down and took refuge on a navy patrol boat.
The make-up of Commodore Bainimarama's interim government was expected to be a mix of military and civilian figures.
Ratu Mara's son-in-law, former military commander Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, was rumoured to be a favourite to become prime minister.
Ratu Epeli's wife, and the daughter of Ratu Mara, Tourism Minister Adi Koila Nailatikau, is one of the more than 30 hostages being held by Mr Speight.
Commodore Bainimarama also decreed yesterday all other Fiji laws remain unchanged - meaning business as usual.
A 48-hour curfew imposed on Monday night was lifted at 7am yesterday. The military's seizure of power seemed to bring some normality to Suva on the 12th day of the hostage crisis.
Commodore Bainimarama late last night told BBC Mr Speight would be granted an amnesty after the country's political crisis was over, despite his "criminal act". He would honour an offer of amnesty made to Speight by Ratu Mara when he was president.
"That was a promise made by his excellency and we intend to carry that forward," he said.
Pressed if that meant Mr Speight would be able to walk free from the parliament compound, he responded: "Yes, I am sorry to say that."
But Mr Speight earlier rejected Commodore Bainimarama's takeover and again refused to release democratically elected former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry and the other hostages who have been held in Suva's Parliament since May 19.
Commodore Bainimarama pledged on Monday to restrict access to Mr Speight's Parliament House compound.
But despite military roadblocks elsewhere, Mr Speight was able to bring supporters in by the truckload before a meeting with the new military government. There were no soldiers sighted within 2km of the Parliament. It was only when the mood turned ugly late in the day that a military clampdown was put in place.
Hundreds of Speight supporters streamed out of Parliament, hurling rocks at passing vehicles as they marched to a seafront theological college being used as a venue for a meeting with the military.
Immediately, heavily armed and clearly edgy soldiers threw a cordon round the area.
Last night talks between Mr Speight's supporters and military officers were continuing. Mr Speight was not in attendance.