Fiji's new govt shuts out Speight's men

Fiji's new govt shuts out Speight's men

SUVA (Reuters): Fiji appointed a new interim government on Friday without any rebel backers of jailed coup leader George Speight, who caretaker Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said no longer posed a threat.

Speight, arrested by the military on Wednesday and facing possible treason charges, had threatened further civil unrest unless his supporters dominated the new government.

Fiji was plunged into political crisis when Speight stormed parliament in May in the name of indigenous Fijian rights, taking hostages and demanding an end to Indian political power.

President Ratu Josefa Iloilo defied Speight by dropping his four nationalist supporters from an earlier line-up, reappointed Qarase and named Ratu Epeli Nailatikau deputy prime minister.

Speight had publicly opposed both Qarase and Nailatikau.

After being sworn in, Qarase, who said earlier the interim government would rule for three years before new elections, called on all Fijians to end widespread lawlessness.

"The lawlessness that has swept the country must stop," Qarase said. Asked by reporters if Speight could cause more unrest, Qarase said Speight was "no more threat".

"We must promote national reconciliation and healing not only between the Fijians and Indo-Fijians, but also between the Fijians themselves," Qarase said.

Fiji's military said Qarase would address the concerns of indigenous Fijians over the next three years. Spokesman Lt. Col. Filipo Tarakinikini said a decree allowing the military to crack down on unrest would last another two weeks.

The ousted People's Coalition government of Mahendra Chaudhry rejected the new administration. Chaudhry was held hostage for 56 days, along with most of his multi-racial cabinet, when Speight took over parliament.

Iloilo named a 20-member all indigenous Fijian cabinet with one ethnic Indian among eight assistant ministers. Chaudhry's coalition released a statement saying it wants a "Government of National Unity" made of pre-coup elected MPs put in its place.

"The composition of the interim government is discriminatory," former deputy prime minister Tupeni Baba said. "It effectively disenfranchises the Indo-Fijian community."

"As an administration made up almost exclusively of ethnic Fijians, it represents a disturbing capitulation to one of the key demands of the terrorist group led by George Speight."

Indians make up 44 percent of Fiji's 800,000 population and dominate the hard-hit sugar and tourism-based economy.

Chaudhry and most of his coalition remain holed up in the rich sugar belt on the west of the main island of Viti Levu.

Qarase said he had approached prominent members of the Indian community to serve in his government but had been turned down because they feared for their safety.

He also warned Chaudhry not to try to take back power. "If they persist with it, they will be dealt with according to law."

Fiji remained on alert after a military crackdown on nationalist rebels in the past two days sparked sporadic unrest. Roadblocks dot the capital Suva, while ethnic Indians in some towns remained indoors fearing rebel reprisals.

"There's no soldiers, no law at all here," said Shalim Kumar, an Indian shopkeeper in Labasa where 50 gunmen roamed the streets on Thursday and rebels have taken over the military barracks.

Speight and key aides were arrested on Wednesday night, and the military captured more than 300 of his rebels in a Thursday morning raid which left one man dead and more than 40 injured.

Fiji's military said on Friday they had also arrested Ratu Timoci Silatolu, a senior Speight backer, as part of an operation to mop up the remnants of his core group of supporters.

"They are all well and they're being well looked after here," said Tarakinikini. The military could hold Speight for seven days before laying charges, he said.

Speight, who was given an amnesty when he agreed to free the hostages and return the rebels' weapons, was arrested for failing to hand over all arms and for an alleged threat against Iloilo.

The arrests sparked unrest on the second island of Vanua Levu, where 40 Indians were briefly held hostage in Labasa and two New Zealand pilots were taken hostage at Savusavu airport on Thursday. The pilots were freed unharmed on Friday.

"The release of those two New Zealand pilots and the Indo- Fijian hostages in Labasa is indicative of the way the crisis is spiraling downwards towards a final resolution," Tarakinikini said.