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SUVA: Fiji's Daily Post newspaper today denounced the anarchy still
raging in parts of this Pacific country and the failure of the police
and military to restore law and order.
With a frontpage report headlined "Nightmare continues for Indians in
rural Fiji", the newspaper published a bitter editorial condemning the
security forces.
Summing up a previous story about the terrorism of Indo-Fijian families
in the Dreketi rice area on the island of Vanua Levu, the editorial said
one farmer had summed up the country's law and order situation by
pointing to his recently castrated bullock and quipping:
"My castrated bullock has more balls than the police, the army, the
President and all the governments combined together."
The paper added: "With the media reports of tears and sorrow, and
atrocities, thuggery, looting and rapes committed on [the] Indo-Fijian
community, we have little reason to dispute this projection of law
enforcement agencies in Fiji.
"Just yesterday our paper reiterated the ills committed on Indians in
Dreketi area, and other media also reported this state of anarchy.
"Today yet again we report of complete helplessness of suffering of the
innocent people, not only in Labasa area, but also nearer to the power
base of our government, in and around Waidalice in Tailevu.
"Our reporter from Tailevu, who covered the Waidalice story was
literally in a state of shock at the savagery his own people would
commit on the helpless Indian community.
"Yet the lawyers of the criminals who started this epidemic of hatred
are crying for the rights of these thugs who are basking on Nukulau
Island. And all this while the law enforcement agencies appear to be
suffering from an acute case of impotency."
Rebel leader George Speight and seven of his ringleaders on Nukulau
Island were charged yesterday over the burial of a supporter who died
from wounds in crossfire during the Parliament siege last month. The
supporter was buried illegally in the grounds of Parliament.
This was the first of a string of charges against the key leaders of the
insurrection which so far do not include treason.
Assistant Police Commissioner Moses Driver confimed that he had been to
the island to lay charges and that more would follow.
"The charges are complicated and we're still investigating," he said.
Another ringleader of the gang, Iliesa Duvuloco, has also been arrested
and was reported by the Daily Post to be in the Colonial War Memorial
Hospital in a "serious condition" from injuries.
A military source told the paper he had been admitted to hospital after
being arrested at Korovou, Tailevu, by soldiers deployed in the area.
Two other rebel leaders were also arrested - Varinava Tiko and Jim
Speight, brother of George who is known as "Commander Jimmy".
Tiko and Jim Speight are being held at the military barracks in Nabua.
Military spokesperson Major Howard Politini said the army still sought
several other men over their alleged involvement in the spate of
lawlessness in the country.
+++niuswire
Title -- 2882 FIJI: Newspaper denounces anarchy and police response
Date -- 2 August 2000
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pasifik Nius
Source -- PN, Daily Post 2/8/00
Copyright -- PN/DP
Status -- Unabridged
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