Former Fiji coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka is to take a key role in the country's
new military government, diplomatic sources
said yesterday.
Mr Rabuka, who staged two coups in 1987 and was prime minister until last year,
will serve on the council of advisers.
The council, composed of eight men who are all serving or past members of the
armed forces, will advise Fiji armed forces
chief and the head of the interim government, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who
imposed martial law on Monday.
A military spokesman would not confirm Mr Rabuka's role yesterday.
Diplomatic sources also said that deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry,
held hostage for almost two weeks, has made
it clear to his captors that he is determined to resume power.
"We know he is in the best condition of the hostages and he is determined
to carry on," one source said.
Mr Chaudhry's defiant stance is likely to complicate attempts to secure the
release of the former premier and some 35
parliamentarians being held with him by coup leader George Speight.
Through the bartering and negotiations of the past two days, Mr Chaudhry and
his government have almost been forgotten,
despite winning an absolute majority of the vote in a general election a year
ago.
One source said that Mr Chaudhry would appeal to the world that he had the
right to rule on the basis of his landslide victory
last year.
But Commodore Bainimarama ruled out Mr Chaudhry regaining the leadership.
"I am afraid Mahendra Chaudhry will no longer come back as prime minister,"
Commodore Bainimarama told a news
conference at Suva's army barracks.
This text may have been edited to protect the writer.
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