Army Commander and Head of State, Commodore Frank Bainimarama
has declared the immediate areas surrounding the Parliamentary
Complex into a Military Exclusion Zone (MEZ). Residents have been
given 48 hours from midnight tonight to move out.
Civilians who are supporting George Speight from inside Parliament
have also been told to move out.
The announcement was made by army spokesman Filipo Tarakinikini a
short while ago. He said the move is part of the military's attempt to
"contain security sensitive areas" and enhance the safety and security
of
the public. Tarakinikini said the move should not be interpreted as a step
to a military option.
"The Commander wishes to strongly reiterate the military's commitment
to maintaining a non-confrontational
approach. He emphasises that the army will not consider the military option
to free the hostages."
The Decree empowers the military to carry out the following:
* to order any person residing in the MEZ to vacate his or her residence.
* to temporarily acquire any land or building.
* to prohibit entry of vehicles, aircraft or vessels into the MEZ.
* to restrict water, electricity, telecommunication or any other essential
services.
* to arrest and detain persons loitering in the MEZ, and
* to do any other thing necessary for the purpose of the Decree.
The military's move follows a shooting incident outside parliament yesterday
in which five people from Speight's
camp were wounded. Two of them are in critical condition at the CWM Hospital.
Tarakinikini said that the military is not under any obligation to provide
food or shelter to people who have to move
out of their homes. He added that the army will not guarantee the safety of
anyone who refuses to vacate their
homes.
The MEZ extends from Veiuto Primary School through Cathedral Secondary School
to Makuluva Road west along
Veiuto Road and northerly to Beqa Road, Marou Road and thence north westerly
across Ratu Sukuna Road to
Leveti Creek and southerly along the Leveti Creek to the bride on Queen Elizabeth
Drive.
Army spokesperson Filipo Tarakinikini says the declaration of the
Military Exclusion Zone around the Parliamentary Complex should
not be seen as a step to a military option.
He says the military has no intention whatsoever to storm parliament
in its attempt to get George Speight to release hostages. The
spokesman says that the MEZ has been declared to give George
Speight's group a breather.
"The idea is to give Speight and his group more focus on resolving
the situation rather than trying to drag it on. There are too many
people moving in and out who we believe are hampering negotiations
by feeding a lot of irrelevant information to Speight and his group.
This tends to give them the wrong picture of what is happening
outside.
"None of our actions so far suggest that we will be taking any
military action. In this Decree signed today, the Commander
emphasises that he does not want a confrontational approach but a
peaceful resolution."
However, under the Decree, the military can cut essential services like
water and electricity to the MEZ. But Tarakinikini says they will use
their judgement and do this only when they feel that it is necessary.
On possible retaliation from Speight's group, Tarakinikini said: "They
have sent a number of threats on a number of things that the military
should not do and this MEZ is one of them. But we are not being
dictated by them. We make our own decisions."
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