24 MAY 2000 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji's self-styled coup leader, George
Speight lashed out at political mediator Sitiveni Rabuka and called
him a liar in a midnight press conference last night.
Speight hurled accusations at former Fijian prime minister Rabuka for
distorting the results of yesterday's Great Council of Chiefs meeting
which reportedly swung its support behind the Fiji President, Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara as the executive authority of the country.
Speight is the leader of a group of armed indigenous activists who
have taken over the Labour Coalition government of Mahendra Chaudhry
last Friday (May 19), holding Chaudhry, and 32 other members of his
cabinet and parliamentarians.
The reaction was to be expected given the uncertainty of some of the
chiefs on their stand on the political crisis. While they apparently
voted in favour of Ratu Sir Kamisese in the meeting, 11 chiefs of the
northern province of Cakaudrove later put their names to a letter of
support for Speight today.
While the chiefly institution of Fiji may sound very simple and
straight-forward, it is complicated by the strong bloodlines that flow
through the chiefly families of each province. Fijians are known for
their sense of hospitality and goodwill, to the extent that they can
often find it difficult to dissent in the face of pressure from
familial ties.
Speight and his group, represent different political factions of
indigenous Fijians who have come together for the common cause of
throwing out the 1997 Constitution and again, an Indian-dominated
government - the root cause of the 1987 coup which then soldier,
Rabuka executed.
Speight is aided by two young indigenous chiefs and parliamentarians
in the Chaudhry government - Ratu Timoci Silatolu, a member of the
Chaudhry Coalition partner - the Fijian Association, and Ratu Rakuita
Vakalalabure of the opposition SVT (Soqosoqo Vakavulewa ni Takei)
parties. Ratu Timoci was sworn in by Speight as the Deputy Prime
Minister of his self-styled Government while Ratu Rakuita was sworn in
as Attorney General.
They have virtually run the country to a standstill for the last six
days in the hope that President Mara will step down and that they will
be able to install a line-up of ministers they have already sworn in
under a set of six (6) decrees that they have adopted.
Speight has been in the limelight since he led the coup on Friday
morning at the height of a march by pro-indigenous rights supporters
through the capital, Suva which led the breaking in, looting and
burning of much of the city's store and duty free shops.
Fiji's future will depend on the outcome of today's final day of talks
of the chiefs who have been meeting under military protection at the
Fiji Military Forces' headquarters in the capital....PNS (ENDS)
24 MAY 2000 SUVA (Pacnews) -- The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Trade Union
Congress has joined other unions in the Asia-Pacific region to condemn
the attempted coup and hostage crisis in Fiji.
Congress General Secretary, John Paska denounced the illegal arrest,
detention and assault of the Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry. He
added the union viewed the coup as "totally unjustified, barbaric and
an attack on civility, democratic rights and democratic governance".
Paska called on their comrades at the Fiji Trades Union Congress and
the other unions in the Pacific region to put pressure on Fiji with a
view to restoring normalcy and democracy on the island nation.
He hinted that the PNG Congress on its part may look at banning the
sale of Fijian products in PNG shops. A circular to drum up union
support has already been circulated to all Congress affiliates.
Paska attacked the PNG Government for being slow in reacting to the
crisis. He said it was "pathetic demonstration of the Government in
dealing with a foreign affairs issues".
Meanwhile, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) said it is
prepared to act in support of democracy in Fiji.
ACTU President, Sharan Burrow, said the union movement is very
concerned about the situation, but, won't consider any sanctions on
trade with Fiji until Fijian unions ask for help.
"They, and we, are worried about the fragility of the Fijian economy,"
Burrow said.
"We are concerned to see that action is taken quickly to end the
violence (in Fiji), and now there is growing instability. But our
commitment's firm when our union colleagues in Fiji ask us for
support."
The Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) at the weekend called for a
nationwide strike against the hostage crisis but on Monday (May 22)
reversed its decision after holding talks with the President, Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara. FTUC said it would monitor the events in the country
before deciding what action to take next.
The President assumed executive authority on Friday (May 19) after
declaring a state of emergency when armed gunmen, led by self-styled
leader George Speight, stormed Parliament and took Prime Minister
Mahendra Chaudhry and his cabinet ministers hostage. Other Government
MPs are also being held captive...PNS (ENDS)
PACNEWS Special Edition 26 May 2000 Page 2 (c) Copyright PIBA 2000
Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva,
Fiji Islands Phone (679) 315 732, Fax (679) 315 379
E-mail pacnews@pacnews.org Web Site www.pacnews.org
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