Fiji’s military dictatorship unveiled a new constitution that gives the military broad powers and "overall responsibility" at all times for security, defense and well-being.  It means that dictator Voreque “Frank” Bainimarama has reneged on earlier plans to allow a constituency assembly to draft the future for Fiji.

The new constitution grants immunity to Bainimarama and his soldiers for anything they did, starting at the time they staged their coup d’etat in December 2006.

Two months ago, Bainimarama’s regime threw away a draft constitution written by internationally recognized scholar in constitutional law Yash Ghai.  That version would have limited the role of the military, and allowed soldiers to disobey illegal orders, and restored freedom of the press.

Bainimarama not only confiscated all copies of that version, but he also took the printer’s proofs, shredded them, and burned them.