Coup leaders in Fiji releases some captive lawmakers

Rohan Sullivan

Sunday, May 21, 2000 | 8:57 a.m.

SUVA, Fiji - Rebels holding Fiji's elected prime minister and other government members hostage threatened Sunday to execute them unless their demands are met, the head of state said.

The claim was angrily denied by the leader of the hostage takers.

President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara said the rebel leader, businessman George Speight, sought a meeting with him Sunday to discuss the uprising at the center of Fiji's government crisis.

Mara said he told Speight that he refused to attend the meeting.

"I had a request today from Mr. Speight for him to come and see me," Mara said.

"I will not have any dialogue with those who are imprisoning the parliamentarians and bear arms in the parliament complex unless they are freed.

"I learned from him afterwards in a roundabout way that what he was going to tell me was that if I don't follow what he says, he will start executing hostages one by one."

At a press conference in parliament Speight denied such a plan.

"To suggest that we would embark on such an operation as a solution is just irresponsible and crazy," he said. "I am giving the world my word ... I am guaranteeing their safety."

Mara said Speight was demanding the president step down and allow his group to run the country.

"That I will not be able to oblige," Mara said defiantly.

Spreight launched the coup Friday in a bid to topple the government of ethnic Indian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and install in its place a government of indigenous Fijians led by him.

For months, ethnic tensions have been building between indigenous Fijians and the descendants of Indian migrants, who dominate commerce in this Pacific Ocean country 2,250 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia. Indians make up about 44 percent of Fiji's population of 813,000 while indigenous Fijians account for 51 percent.

Chaudhry is Fiji's first prime minister of Indian extraction and leads an ethnic Indian-dominated administration.

Later Sunday, Speight supporters fired warning shots into the air outside parliament where the hostages area being held, before escorting a group of journalists into the building.

Earlier, two influential ethnic Fijian groups pledged their support Sunday for Speight.

Ratu Tevita Bolobolo, leader of the Taukei movement of ethnic Fijians, read out a statement also endorsed by the main opposition party, known as SVT.

"We do not and we will never accept the reinstatement of the Chaudhry government," Bolobolo said. "We hereby state that we fully support the abolition of the 1997 constitution and warn (Fijian President) Ratu Mara that any intervention by force will lead to all out civil war."

"We the Taukei are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice so as to return this country to the Taukei."

The statement - the first major sign of support for Speight - was sent to Ratu Mara along with demands for changes to the constitution so only an indigenous Fijian can hold the offices of prime minister and president and for a reversion of all freehold land to native ownership.

Combined, the Taukei movement and SVP party command strong support among ethnic Fijians. Taukei means "owner of the land."

But one ethnic Fijian member of the elected government claimed indigenous people actually supported the Indian prime minister and would not accept Speight's rule.

"We will not compromise with these illegal people," Labor Minister Ratu Tevita Momoedonu told Australian television's Nine Network.

"We are treating these people as a bunch of thugs and we will not compromise with them in any way."

Earlier Sunday, the rebels released some hostages, but not Chaudhry, who collapsed overnight apparently from stress. A Red Cross doctor who later visited Chaudhry said he was healthy.

Chaudhry had reportedly collapsed while in meetings with Speight.

In the early hours of Sunday, Speight released about 30 hostages, including nine members of Chaudhry's Cabinet and some 20 parliamentary staff.

It was unclear exactly how many hostages remained inside. At least 38 lawmakers were originally taken, along with an unknown number of parliamentary staff.

The Indian lawmakers were released only after signing resignation letters.

Lawmaker John Ali said each was led into a room by two hooded gunmen and told to sign the resignation letter. They were told if they didn't they would be shot by rebels in the event of armed intervention to end the standoff.

"We were given a life or death ultimatum. We chose life," Ali said of the lawmakers who signed.

The coup attempt had appeared headed for failure Saturday as military, police and influential Fijian leaders lined up behind Chaudhry's government and the president.

Speight, barefoot and dressed in a traditional sulu skirt, told reporters late Saturday that his followers were determined to succeed and "willing to risk our lives."

On Saturday, Mara said he would use "all the authority and resources at my command" to end the standoff.

Former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka - himself the leader of two coups in 1987 - is acting as chief negotiator between the rebels and Mara.

Rabuka, who accused Speight of treason, has urged the group to surrender.

Fiji's capital, Suva, was quiet Sunday, as it has been since rioters rampaged downtown on Friday following the raid on parliament.