Suva: Fiji's military regime today reintroduced a state of emergency for a month following the return of deposed prime minister Laisenai Qarase to Suva for the first time since December's coup.

"The public of Fiji should not be unduly concerned about this. This is not going to change anything with regards to the security situation," coup leader Voreqe Bainimamara said on commercial radio. The self-proclaimed interim prime minister said the immediate reimposition of emergency regulations was aimed at Qarase and Peceli Kinivuwai, the director of the deposed prime minister's political party.

He said if the two men continued to make allegations against the military they would be returned by plane to exile on Qarase's remote home village in the Lau group of islands. He did not specify the allegations made by Qarase.

Qarase returned to Suva on Saturday from exile in his home village ahead of a court case in which he wants the December 5 coup against his government declared illegal. He did not comment immediately after the imposition of martial law but reportedly told local media earlier in the day he would not bow to threats from the military and denied he had been campaigning against Bainimarama's regime.

The emergency regulations were lifted at the end of May after being introduced when Bainimarama deposed Qarase, in the country's fourth coup since 1987. Under the regulations, some constitutional rights were withdrawn and the military gave itself powers to detain people without charge.