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SUVA: The four women members of Mahendra Chaudhry's elected government
held hostage in Fiji's Parliament for the past five weeks have been
released, according to media reports early today.
A Fiji Live report said the four were former Minister for Tourism Adi
Koila Mara Nailatikau, Lavenia Padarath (Minister for Women), Marieta
Rigamoto (Assistant Minister for Agriculture) and backbencher Akanisi
Koroitamana.
Adi Koila is also daughter of the ousted President, Ratu Sir Kamisese
Mara, and is married to a former military commander, Ratu Epeli
Nailatikau.
The women were released just after midnight.
Still held hostage are 27 more members of the Chaudhry government.
Rebel leader George Speight's media spokesperson Jo Nata told Radio Fiji
that releasing the women captives proved that they were not using the
hostages as a bargaining tool.
A hostage trauma centre has been set up in the capital of Suva in Gorrie
Street, between the Red Cross and Suva Motor Inn. It is expected all
hostages when released will be taken there.
Ms Padarath attended a church service this morning at Butt Street
church.
The Sunday Post reported that the military council, under the leadership
of Commodore Frank Bainimarama, will hold continue to hold executive
power for three more months, according to the Muanikau Accord which is
now expected to be signed later today.
But the Sunday Times reported that rebel gunmen chief Ilisoni Ligairi
said the hostages would only be released when a Fijian administration
was set up to govern the country.
Rebel leader George Speight's group had earlier said the hostages would
only be released after a traditional ceremony seeking forgiveness from
the hostages.
This could take up to 24 hours after the accord is signed.
Veteran soldier Ligairi - known in military circles here as the
"invisible man" and "Mr White" because of his hair - is
the rebel
believed to be partly responsible for the delay in the signing of the
accord yesterday.
He told the Sunday Times the freeing of the hostages would be the last
step in a sequence of events to follow the signing.
First, he said, the rebels wanted to see a President sworn in to appoint
a Fijian administration.
When other issues, such as amnesty and the return of arms to the
military barracks in suburban Nabua were sorted out, Ligairi would then
talk to the hostages to "mend the relationship" between the rebels
and
the captives.
Speight's supporters would also be told of the decision.
This process, said the former member of Britain's elite Special Air
Service regiment, could take a day or two.
"I would probably call it the Fijian way of doing things," Ligairi
told
the Sunday Times.
"We are hostage takers and the last thing to be done is the release of
the hostages. This will only happen after our demands are met."
During the three months that the military council will stay in control,
a Great Council of Chiefs meeting will be convened to appoint a
President, according to the Sunday Post.
The President, in consultation with the military council, will then
appoint an interim administration to run the affairs of state for the
next 21 months.
+++niuswire
Subject: [pasifik_nius] 2824 FIJI: Four women hostages released
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 11:19:45 +1300
From: Journ12 <robie_d@usp.ac.fj>
Organization: Journalism, University of the South Pacific
To: Pasifik Nius <pasifik_nius@lists.c2o.org>
Title -- 2824 FIJI: Four women hostages released
Date -- 25 June 2000
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pasifik Nius
Source -- USP Journalism, 25/6/00
Copyright -- USP Journalism
Status -- Unabridged
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