Fiji rebels warn of further unrest

SUVA, JULY 16. Indigenous Fijian rebels, who held the deposed Prime Minister, Mr. Mahendra Chaudhry, hostage for two months, today warned of further unrest, if their choices were not met for a new Government expected to be announced this week.

Rebel spokesman, Mr. Jo Nata, said nationalist supporters could ``escalate'' previous protest action by occupying key infrastructure operations and blocking major roads if their demands were not met.

``We are serious about what we did (the coup),'' Mr. Nata told reporters.

``We have come too far to compromise, so much so that we may not be able to control our people if the wrong people are put in Government,'' he said.

After weeks of tense wrangling, last week the military struck a deal with the rebels, led by businessman Mr. George Speight, which saw Chaudhry and 17 other hostages released after 56 days in captivity.

The military gave in to almost all of the rebels' demands which are aimed at enshrining indigenous Fijian power and stripping ethnic-Indians of a political role.

Mr. Chaudhry on Saturday called for reinstatement of his coalition Government, saying otherwise Fiji would be bowing to an act of anarchy.

However, Mr. Nata said it would be impossible, as the multi- racial Constitution, which had enabled Mr. Chaudhry's election, had now been abrogated.

``Apart from being impossible for them to be reinstated, the indigenous people will not allow that reinstatement,'' he said.

``Chaudhry should count (himself) lucky that he came out unscathed...He should be thankful.'' A new civilian Government is expected to be announced this week by the rebel- backed President, Mr. Ratu Josefo Iloilo.

But the rebels do not want Mr. Laisenia Qarase, the interim Prime Minister appointed by the military, to remain in the post.

They want their nominee, Mr. Ratu Epeli Kanaimawi, as Prime Minister. There has been speculation that the new Government would contain two ethnic-Indian members, the rebels say that would be ``totally unacceptable''.

The U.S. said today that it would look to Australia to take the lead in action against Fiji.

``We will look to Australia for leadership in terms of what action or reaction should be taken,'' the U.S. Defence Secretary, Mr. William Cohen, told Channel Nine's Sunday programme.

``We will cooperate very much in coordinating the kind of response which will be important in restoring democracy to Fiji.''

Chaudhry's advice

Meanwhile, Mr. Chaudhry, the first ethnic Indian to lead Fiji, says he would not try to dissuade the ethnic Indian minorities from leaving the south Pacific nation as it moves to turn them into second- class citizens.

``I am hardly in a position to advise them otherwise,'' said Mr. Chaudhry.

``Any community that has gone through this twice, it's a natural thing for them to want to find a safe home,'' Mr. Chaudhry said on Saturday, referring to earlier coups in 1987.

He said the decision to disenfranchise the Indian minority and guarantee the superiority of indigenous Fijians had ``torn the very fabric of society.''

- Reuters.

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