Edited sentence: Iloilo, a former Methodist church leader, was replaced by the Vice-President Epeli Nailatikau, a former military commander.In July, the annual Methodist general meeting was not given a permit.On July 31, President Iloilo, 88-years old and thought to be ill, retired after having served since 2000 through all the coups, except for one month in 2006 when Bainimarama gave himself Presidential powers.Several Methodist Church leaders and a village high chief who was providing space for the meeting were arrested and released on condition that they not appear in public.The Methodist annual meeting scheduled for August was later cancelled by church leadership.Under the 1997 Constitution, the President is appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs but this has been suspended by Bainimarama who announced a replacement would be appointed by himself and his Cabinet at a time suitable for the regime