Racist thugs bring Fiji to its knees

Racist rebel leader George Speight and his gang of terrorists deserve no sympathy or support. Mr. Speight has dismantled Fiji's democracy almost single-handed and now, with the threat of sanctions by the country's leading trading partners, he may well become the man who annihilated the nation's economy as well.

After 56 days as the hostage of the indigenous rebel group led by failed businessman George Speight, Fiji's democratically elected prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, and 18 other lawmakers have been released. Not only were the mainly ethnic Indian politicians being held against their will by Mr. Speight, he also was holding the entire country of Fiji to ransom.

In return for the freedom of the politicians, Mr. Speight demanded and won an agreement from the Great Council of Chiefs to throw out the democratically elected government and install a totally indigenous administration with Mr. Speight's nominee, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, as its new president. Ironically, the head of the Great Council of Chiefs is one Sitiveni Rabuka, who himself led two coups in 1987 which achieved similar, but not as drastic, results.

Deposed prime minister Chaudhry has been defiant since his release, saying the ousted government must be reinstated and democracy restored. Both Australia and New Zealand are poised to introduce sanctions against Fiji, while the United States says it will follow Australia's lead. The tourism industry on which Fiji relies for most of its foreign income has been decimated and will take years to recover.

The authority of the Great Council of Chiefs has been undermined in this whole episode in their effort to save the lives of the politicians.

There is no easy way out of the mess that has been created. But one result which must occur is for Mr. Speight and his band of terrorists to face a court of law for bringing the country to its knees -- for if they haven't done so yet, they will have once sanctions are in place.

-- The Bangkok Post