Fiji's new govt shuts out Speight's men<\/p>\n
SUVA (Reuters): Fiji appointed a new interim government on
\nFriday without any rebel backers of jailed coup leader George
\nSpeight, who caretaker Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said no
\nlonger posed a threat.<\/p>\n
Speight, arrested by the military on Wednesday and facing
\npossible treason charges, had threatened further civil unrest
\nunless his supporters dominated the new government.<\/p>\n
Fiji was plunged into political crisis when Speight stormed
\nparliament in May in the name of indigenous Fijian rights, taking
\nhostages and demanding an end to Indian political power.<\/p>\n
President Ratu Josefa Iloilo defied Speight by dropping his
\nfour nationalist supporters from an earlier line-up, reappointed
\nQarase and named Ratu Epeli Nailatikau deputy prime minister.<\/p>\n
Speight had publicly opposed both Qarase and Nailatikau.<\/p>\n
After being sworn in, Qarase, who said earlier the interim
\ngovernment would rule for three years before new elections,
\ncalled on all Fijians to end widespread lawlessness.<\/p>\n
"The lawlessness that has swept the country must stop," Qarase
\nsaid. Asked by reporters if Speight could cause more unrest,
\nQarase said Speight was "no more threat".<\/p>\n
"We must promote national reconciliation and healing not only
\nbetween the Fijians and Indo-Fijians, but also between the
\nFijians themselves," Qarase said.<\/p>\n
Fiji's military said Qarase would address the concerns of
\nindigenous Fijians over the next three years. Spokesman Lt. Col.
\nFilipo Tarakinikini said a decree allowing the military to crack
\ndown on unrest would last another two weeks.<\/p>\n
The ousted People's Coalition government of Mahendra Chaudhry
\nrejected the new administration. Chaudhry was held hostage for 56
\ndays, along with most of his multi-racial cabinet, when Speight
\ntook over parliament.<\/p>\n
Iloilo named a 20-member all indigenous Fijian cabinet with
\none ethnic Indian among eight assistant ministers. Chaudhry's
\ncoalition released a statement saying it wants a "Government of
\nNational Unity" made of pre-coup elected MPs put in its place.<\/p>\n
"The composition of the interim government is discriminatory,"
\nformer deputy prime minister Tupeni Baba said. "It effectively
\ndisenfranchises the Indo-Fijian community."<\/p>\n
"As an administration made up almost exclusively of ethnic
\nFijians, it represents a disturbing capitulation to one of the
\nkey demands of the terrorist group led by George Speight."<\/p>\n
Indians make up 44 percent of Fiji's 800,000 population and
\ndominate the hard-hit sugar and tourism-based economy.<\/p>\n
Chaudhry and most of his coalition remain holed up in the rich
\nsugar belt on the west of the main island of Viti Levu.<\/p>\n
Qarase said he had approached prominent members of the Indian
\ncommunity to serve in his government but had been turned down
\nbecause they feared for their safety.<\/p>\n
He also warned Chaudhry not to try to take back power. "If
\nthey persist with it, they will be dealt with according to law."<\/p>\n
Fiji remained on alert after a military crackdown on
\nnationalist rebels in the past two days sparked sporadic unrest.
\nRoadblocks dot the capital Suva, while ethnic Indians in some
\ntowns remained indoors fearing rebel reprisals.<\/p>\n
"There's no soldiers, no law at all here," said Shalim Kumar,
\nan Indian shopkeeper in Labasa where 50 gunmen roamed the streets
\non Thursday and rebels have taken over the military barracks.<\/p>\n
Speight and key aides were arrested on Wednesday night, and
\nthe military captured more than 300 of his rebels in a Thursday
\nmorning raid which left one man dead and more than 40 injured.<\/p>\n
Fiji's military said on Friday they had also arrested Ratu
\nTimoci Silatolu, a senior Speight backer, as part of an operation
\nto mop up the remnants of his core group of supporters.<\/p>\n
"They are all well and they're being well looked after here,"
\nsaid Tarakinikini. The military could hold Speight for seven days
\nbefore laying charges, he said.<\/p>\n
Speight, who was given an amnesty when he agreed to free the
\nhostages and return the rebels' weapons, was arrested for failing
\nto hand over all arms and for an alleged threat against Iloilo.<\/p>\n
The arrests sparked unrest on the second island of Vanua Levu,
\nwhere 40 Indians were briefly held hostage in Labasa and two New
\nZealand pilots were taken hostage at Savusavu airport on
\nThursday. The pilots were freed unharmed on Friday.<\/p>\n
"The release of those two New Zealand pilots and the Indo-
\nFijian hostages in Labasa is indicative of the way the crisis is
\nspiraling downwards towards a final resolution," Tarakinikini
\nsaid.<\/p>",
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