The Fiji military regime, in its latest crackdown, has targeted the most influential religious group in the Pacific island nation, ordering the Methodist Church to cancel its annual conference, reports Agence France-Presse.

A joint statement issued by the military and police accused the church of trying to bring instability to the country.

The crackdown follows information that "inciteful issues are going to be discussed at the conference", police spokeswoman Ema Mua confirmed to the FijiLive website.

The statement said the Methodist Church could not hide its involvement in politics and part of the agenda for the August conference focused on the current political situation.

Earlier this month, a former Methodist Church president was detained after delivering a sermon calling for peaceful protests to restore democracy to Fiji.

Reverend Manasa Lasaro has been at the forefront of opposition in the Methodist Church to the 2006 coup in which military chief and self-appointed prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government.

Bainimarama has since ruled out democratic elections before 2014.

The Methodist Church is the dominant denomination among the devout indigenous Fijians, who make up 57 percent of the total population of around 840,000. AFP Online/Pacific Media Watch, 31/05/09.