"I will die with the hostages," says the man behind the rebellion,
Ilisoni Ligaiari, in response to speculation that the military may storm the
Parliamentary Complex.
Speaking to Associated Press at the Complex yesterday, Ligairi said blood will
be shed in the event of a military raid to free the hostages.
The rebels have advised the military against doing anything in the next 24
hours if they do not want to jeopardise further negotiations. Any action by
the military after the ultimatum expires will also jeopardise the safety of
the hostages, say the rebels.
This was in response to the military's 24 hour ultimatum to the rebels to sign
the Muanikau Accord or lose the chance of being involved in a civilian government.
Ligairi says the hostages will not be released unless the rebels are assured
of a presence in the interim civilian government.
He admits that he rejected the deal struck on Saturday between coup leader
George Speight and the military because "the deal gave away too much to
the government".
The rebels want the issue of the transfer of executive authority and the resolution
of the presidency to be dealt with before the accord is signed.
They want executive authority to be transferred from the military to their
nomination for the president, Tui Vuda and former Vice President, Ratu Josefa
Iloilo.
The military prefers the Great Council of Chiefs to choose the president.
The former leader of the crack Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit of the Fiji
Military Force has denied that the real motive of the rebellion was to restore
privileges and sweet deals lost when the Chaudhry government cracked down on
corruption.
He also denied that he was the real power broker behind the coup, saying he
was brought in to control the CRWU soldiers who would only take his orders.
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