The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, June 4, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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Speight demands aide as President

SUVA, June 3 (Reuters) — Fiji rebel leader George Speight today demanded that the military government appoint one of his close aides as President as part of a deal to release 31 political hostages Speight has held since May 19.

Speight also reiterated demands for promises of immunity for those involved in the takeover of Fiji’s Parliament by gunpoint before he would set free the hostages, who include Fiji’s first ethnic Indian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.

The seizure of the hostages by Speight, who wants political dominance for indigenous Fijians, led to the military taking control of the country on Monday. Fiji’s last President, Ratu Sir Kamisese, stepped aside to make way for military rule.

In a nine-point proposal for bringing the siege to an end, Speight asked the influential elders body, the Great Council of Chiefs, to appoint as President Ratu Jope Seniloli. Speight’s group also demanded that soldiers who defected to the rebels be reinstated in the army and that arrested supporters be released.

Military spokesman Filipo Tarakinikini said the demands had set back negotiations between Fiji’s military ruler Frank Bainimarama and members of the Speight group.

NEW DELHI, (PTI): India on Friday termed the evolving situation in Fiji as “uncertain” amid no signs of release of the hostages, including ethnic Indian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhury and his Cabinet colleagues held by leaders of the attempted coup.

“The political climate in that country is still very uncertain and there appears to be no clear authority fully in charge,” a Foreign Office spokesman told reporters in response to questions.

New Delhi has maintained that it favoured restoration of the democratically elected government and the constitutional process.