Fiji's elected leader said Tuesday a military takeover was under way in the South Pacific country as armed troops surrounded his house and other government buildings in a lockdown of the capital.

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said it was not clear who was in control of his tiny country after heavily armed soldiers set up check points around the capital, Suva, and seized official vehicles from government ministers. The prime minister said he was not able to leave his house and go to work because troops took his car.

"There are some things that aren't clear," Qarase told the Legend radio network by telephone, when he was asked if he was still in charge.

"If the military has completed the takeover, then they are in control. If they have not completed the takeover, then we are still the government of the day."

He said he had received information that troops would take him into custody sometime Tuesday, though he said that was unconfirmed.

Looks to Australia

Qarase turned to Australia for help in preventing a full military takeover.

"The prime minister of Fiji rang me and asked for Australian military intervention in response to the coup," Australian Prime Minister John Howard told reporters. "I indicated to him that that would not be possible."

Earlier, about 40 troops carrying semiautomatic rifles set up guard posts around the prime minister's house on Tuesday, but left in trucks after about an hour.

"There is virtually a coup now taking place," Qarase told New Zealand's National Radio.

Embattled Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase arrives in Suva after returning from New Zealand, on Wednesday.
(Rick Rycroft/Associated Press)

The Armed Forces chief, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, visited President Ratu Josefa Iloilo, and Qarase said the president could be a key player in determining the outcome of the crisis that has paralyzed the country for weeks.

Qarase has refused to meet Bainimarama's demand that he resign, prompting the military chief to order a gradual lockdown of the capital since early Monday. Soldiers loyal to Bainimarama on Monday disarmed the police.

"They have strangled the police force — they've neutralized them in terms of arms and ammunition and now they are strangling the government machinery today," Qarase said.

Bainimarama has been threatening to "clean up" the government for weeks. He said soldiers had emptied two police armouries Monday "to ensure that police weapons are not used against the military."

When asked at a news conference Monday who was running the country, the military commander replied: "I don't have any comments right now," and left.

Fijian military commander Frank Bainimarama comments to the media at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in the capital Suva on Monday.
(Rick Rycroft/Associated Press)

Bainimarama wants the government to kill legislation that would grant pardons to conspirators in a 2000 coup, and eliminate other bills he says unfairly favour indigenous Fijians. He has demanded the police tactical unit be disbanded, and that sedition investigations against senior military officers be dropped.

Can't agree to demands

Qarase has offered to suspend the contentious bills, but says he cannot agree to any demands that go outside the law.

Qarase said he expected to meet the president later Tuesday. The prime minister said Iloilo had sought a meeting with him, and he believed the president would ask him to give in to Bainimarama's demands and quit.

Under the constitution, the president has the authority to dismiss the government if he rules that it cannot carry out its duties.

Bainimarama issued a deadline of noon last Friday for Qarase to either meet his demands or step down. On Sunday, Bainimarama changed tack slightly and demanded Qarase allow an interim government to be appointed.