A number of houses north of Fiji's capital, Suva, have been burnt
down in arson attacks suspected to be the work of supporters of coup
leader George Speight.
Police resources have been stretched to the limit by the recent
troubles and they are reluctant to venture into areas where supporters
of George Speight might be carrying guns.
Fiji Radio quotes one senior policeman as saying there are no military
roadblocks on the Kings Road beyond Korovou, and that members of
the public should turn back if they come across any blockages.
Not all the non-military roadblocks have been put up by Speight
sympathisers.
A number have been manned by people set up with criminal activity.
Schools in Suva and a number of other areas have reopened today,
some of them for the first time since the coup on May 19.
Rebels have ended their occupation of
military barracks in the northern Fijian
town of Labasa.
It remains unclear what will happen to
soldiers who joined the rebellion.
Faced with an ultimatum by the army to
use force to quash the Labasa rebellion,
it has finally collapsed.
As darkness fell, the civilians who joined the occupation of the
barracks have left behind their temporary home of the past three
weeks.
But negotiations between senior military and police officers and rebel
leaders may continue for another day.
Unresolved is whether renegade soldiers who joined the rebellion will
be arrested and charged.
High Commissioner under question
The woman George Speight wanted
appointed Prime Minister has flown out of
Fiji to resume her duties as the country's
High Commissioner in Malaysia.
The Fijian media is questioning her
continued role as a diplomat following her
alignment with Mr Speight.
One of the factors that exhausted the Fiji
military's patience with Mr Speight was his
rejection of their proposed Prime Minister
Laisenia Quarase and his demand to the
President that the job go to Adi Samanunu Cakabau.
Adi Samananunu is a descendent of the
Chief Cakabau who ceded Fiji to Great
Britain in the 1870s.
Now that Mr Speight has been placed under arrest, Adi Samanunu
has flown out of Fiji to head back to Kuala Lumpur.
Radio Fiji is asking whether she has been tainted by her association
with Mr Speight and whether she should continue representing the
new government as Fiji's High Commissioner to Malaysia.
Back near the capital, Suva, the Red Cross visited George Speight on
his prison island today and telling relatives of the seven men held
there, it will deliver messages and food parcels to them.
That is the role the Red Cross played to Mr Chaudhry and members of
his deposed government when Mr Speight held them hostage for 56
days.
Earlier, Mr Chaudhry, arrived in Sydney as part of an invitation by the
Australian Government.
The Prime Minister, John Howard, will hold talks with his former
counterpart today.
Mr Howard says Mr Chaudhry is visiting Sydney, with his wife and
child, as a guest of the Australian Government.
The deposed Fijian leader will undergo a series of medical check-ups
and will also meet Mr Howard this morning to discuss Fiji's current
political situation.
Mr Howard says the talks will be an opportunity for Australia to revoice
its concern over the crisis.
Speaking on his arrival, Mr Chaudhry says he will continue to work for
the restoration of democracy in Fiji but has ruled out forming a
government in exile for the moment.
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