Why was Fiji expelled from the Commonwealth after the 1987 coups?

Fiji was expelled from the Commonwealth in 1987 following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka.12

The political crisis began in April 1987, when a coalition government—dominated by the Indian-led National Federation Party and the Labour Party—won the national elections. This outcome triggered widespread protests among indigenous Fijians who feared for their political rights. Rabuka subsequently led a coup to depose the new government, demanding greater protection for indigenous interests and entrenched Fijian dominance in future governance.12

After negotiations for a compromise failed, Rabuka staged a second coup in September 1987, reimposed military rule, and declared Fiji a republic, effectively revoking the 1970 constitution. Because these actions dismantled the existing democratic order and moved the country toward a system designed to concentrate power based on ethnicity, Fiji was expelled from the Commonwealth. The nation was eventually readmitted in 1997 after constitutional reforms were introduced to address these ethnic biases.12