Fiji has been in turmoil since Speight and his co-conspirators attempted their unsuccessful coup. When it became obvious that the Speight forces had failed, the military should have moved for the restoration of the deposed government of Mr Mahendra Chaudhry. Regrettably that did not happen and Mr Qarase's military-backed interim government always looked a stopgap affair. Mr Chaudhry and his ministers had right on their side, but their enemies had, and continue to have, the guns. The court of appeal's decision will not change that.
Experience shows the Melanesian way has a habit of creating confusion when order is demanded.
While senior military personnel have said they would respect the court of appeal's decision, their track record is not one to inspire confidence. Returning sovereignty to the parliament is welcome, but forming a new government will be no easy task. Fijians remain bitterly divided. Hardliners in the Melanesian hierarchy are determined to block the country's large ethnic Indian minority from obtaining any meaningful political power. In a depressingly predictable reaction, the main Fijian party, the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei, drew a line in the sand after the court ruling by declaring it would not support the return to power of the Chaudhry Government.