WELLINGTON, June 8 - Fiji's military rulers are trying to starve rebel George
Speight and his armed gang who have been holding more than 30 members of the
government hostage for nearly three weeks, reports said today.
Speight confirmed that food supplies were not reaching the parliamentary complex
where about 100 supporters are camped as he continues to detain Prime Minister
Mahendra Chaudhry and his government who he seized at gunpoint on May 19.
The military which declared martial law 11 days ago have surrounded the area
and erected road blocks to control movement in and out.
"They have been trying to stop our food supplies, OK?" Speight said,
according to Wellington's Dominion newspaper. "What possible agenda or
justification could they have for stopping food from coming into this place?
"Maybe to starve us, demoralise us. What are they going to prove by doing
that? We are fellow Fijians down here."
The Dominion said a military spokesman refused to confirm or deny the ploy,
saying tactics were confidential.
While Speight said he and his men had enough to eat, some of his supporters
asked reporters for food, the newspaper said.
A Fiji newspaper has reported that food delivered to the 31 hostages by their
families had been stolen and eaten by Speight's supporters.
The rebel leader moved to tighten discipline among his supporters after an
exchange of shots near the parliament yesterday morning when the army warned
off a group of them trying to break into a nearby house.
Speight admitted that he had kicked out some of his people who had looted houses
near the parliament in a move apparently designed to head off criticism that
he was backed by hoodlums and thugs.
Army chief Commodore Frank Bainimaramara this week broke off peace talks with
Speight, accusing him of continually escalating his demands.
The military says he does not have the widespread support among indigenous
Fijians Speight claims.
This text may have been edited to protect the writer.
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