[JURIST] Fiji's military ruler, Commodore Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama [BBC profile] announced [text] Sunday that the nation's state of emergency laws will be lifted this week to facilitate a nationwide consultation process for a new constitution. The announcement was cautiously welcomed by longtime regional critics [Sydney Morning Herald report], Australia and New Zealand. Local opposition politicians and critics often victims of harsh censorship regulations have not yet commented [AFP report]. Skepticism remains about military involvement [VOA report] in the election process Bainimarama promised to hold in 2014. Although the Commodore did not indicate what laws would replace the...