Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai'i at Manoa
SUVA, Fiji Islands (May 23, 2000 - PINA Nius Online)---The emergency meeting
of the Great Council of Chiefs is still in progress,
as the day in Suva draws to a close. If no resolution is made today, the meeting
is expected to continue tomorrow.
Radio stations reported that Fijian protocol is being closely followed in the
meeting. Local and international journalists are gathered
outside waiting for an announcement.
Meanwhile, inside the parliamentary complex, hundreds of supporters of George
Speight, leader of the civilian takeover, have
gathered, some drinking yaqona (kava) and others preparing food. The curfew
throughout the country has been reduced and now
extends from 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m.
Yesterday, foreign diplomats and international bodies -- such as the United
Nations and Forum Secretariat -- were briefed by the
permanent secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs and the police. They
were told that Fiji is still under rightful law,
brought down by the State of Emergency called by President Ratu Sir Kamisese
Mara. They were advised that under the Geneva
Convention Fiji is still responsible for foreign visitors and residents' safety,
and the police will continue to exercise their duties.
The EU/ACP meeting was not on the agenda.
SUVA, Fiji Islands (May 23, 2000 - PINA Nius Online)---A special meeting of
the Great Council of Chiefs is under way, as Prime
Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and Members of Parliament enter their fifth day in
captivity.
Much is riding on the outcome of the meeting, and there is speculation as to
whether the GCC will ask the President, Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara, to resign.
In his address to the nation yesterday Ratu Mara reiterated that he is still
in charge and that he will not enter into dialogue with
attempted coup leader George Speight until his men lay down their arms and the
hostages are freed.
Ratu Mara said he is confident of majority support of the Great Council of Chiefs.
However, Speight also claims he has the
backing of many chiefs, and Sitiveni Rabuka, Chairman of the GCC, has said he
is fearful of a split. Speight is reported to have
sent a written statement to be presented to the GCC.
According to a report in the Fiji Times, Ratu Mara said he would present a proposal
to the GCC that enhances the position of the
indigenous Fijian community.
In a statement to the press, Opposition MP Jim Ah Koy said that though he believed
the takeover by Speight and his armed group
was unconstitutional and therefore illegal, he understood the motives:
"I can understand fully their frustrations and anger against the Chaudhry
Government and the person of the Prime Minister for his
arrogance and obduracy in not listening to the sensitivities of the indigenous
Fijians," Ah Koy said.
Ah Koy confirmed that he and the Speight family are very close, and that George
had been "like a son to me." But Ah Koy
categorically stated he was in no way involved in the civil takeover, and was
completely caught by surprise by Speight's actions.
Ah Koy also said that he believed the country would not have lasting stability
until indigenous Fijians felt their rights and interests
were protected and they were at the helm of governmental leadership.
Local journalists who were positioned inside the parliamentary complex reported
last night that things were calm. They said no
one had actually witnessed an event reported by international media, that Prime
Minister Mahendra Chaudhry had been pulled
onto the lawn of Parliament House with a gun pointed at his head.
Permanent secretaries from the People's Coalition met all day yesterday, to
provide updates on how each ministry is handling the
situation. Despite a lack of public transport, 60 percent of civil servants
were at work yesterday and government is hopeful that
things will be back to normal in the government today. The permanent secretaries
reiterated their support for the President, Ratu
Sir Kamisese Mara.
A special meeting of foreign diplomats also took place yesterday, and one topic
of conversation was the upcoming EU/ACP
signing of the successor agreement to the Lomé Convention, that was scheduled
to take place in Suva June 8th. The EU has said it
continues to monitor the situation closely, but that one key point of membership
in the EU/ACP is respect for democracy and
good governance.
Media had reported that a special envoy of the New Zealand military had arrived
in Fiji and was presumed to be on alert to assist
the army or police. However, the New Zealand High Commission confirmed in a
press statement that a contingent of 102
personnel is in Fiji, but are here for "jungle training."
The group is made up of Officer Cadets and a small group of Royal New Zealand
Airforce signalers, who arrived in Fiji May 17th,
two days before the takeover, and will return to New Zealand May 28th. The group
of students is from New Zealand, Fiji,
Singapore, Australia and Papua New Guinea. The training takes place annually,
providing the students with experience in tropical
conditions. The High Commission said that this activity was routine practice
and had been months in the planning. They stressed
that the soldiers were not in any way involved in the present situation.
Buses have resumed their operations and the Fiji Trades Union Congress called
off their nationwide strike. Many businesses in
downtown Suva are reopening as life in the capital city slowly returns to normal.
Grocery stores in the downtown area remained
closed yesterday, and those in the outlying regions closed early due to the
mass numbers of people stocking up. All grocery stores
are open today.
According to sources close to PINA Nius Online, George Speight's proclaimed
Minister of Finance, Navitalai Naisoro, former
permanent secretary for Finance, arrived at the Ministry yesterday to take up
his "new" post, and was told by police to leave the
premises. He was also told that if he returned, he would be arrested.
Overnight two houses in Nausori, on the outskirts of Suva, burned to the ground.
Radio Fiji reported that an Indian family
witnessed a group of youths dousing kerosene on their house before setting it
ablaze.
Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)
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