DATE=7/20/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=FIJI POL (L-O)
NUMBER=2-264616
BYLINE=ALISHA RYU
DATELINE=HONG KONG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Fiji's eight-week long political crisis could
result in the Pacific island nation being ruled by two
rival ethnic governments. As VOA's Alisha Ryu
explains, Fiji's ousted ethnic Indian prime minister
is considering several options, including creating a
separate government in western Fiji.
TEXT: Officials of Fiji's new interim government held
talks with nationalist rebel leader George Speight in
Fiji's capital, Suva, Thursday over the make-up of the
government.
The cabinet was supposed to have been sworn in the day
before. But the new president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo,
postponed the ceremony after Mr. Speight rejected the
composition of the government. Even though the
government contains several rebel supporters and no
ethnic Indians, Mr. Speight says his supporters have
too little representation and warns of more unrest in
the country if the cabinet is not changed.
While Mr. Iloilo and Mr. Speight held talks to resolve
the dispute, deposed prime minister, Mahendra
Chaudhry, and members of his ousted Cabinet met on the
western side of Fiji's main island Viti Levu to plot
strategy.
Declaring his government to be still legitimate, Mr.
Chaudhry told reporters that he was considering
various options, including creating a separate
government.
But Mr. Chaudhry says he has no desire to leave Fiji.
He appealed for international help to restore his
multi-ethnic coalition to power. He urged Australia,
New Zealand, the United States and other Commonwealth
countries to become actively involved. The United
States Thursday joined Australia and New Zealand in
imposing limited sanctions against Fiji.
Mr. Chaudhry was Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime
minister. He and his cabinet were held hostage until
last week by Mr. Speight and nationalist rebels
following a coup on May 19th.
The captives were released after Fiji's Great Council
of Chiefs met the rebels' demands to exclude ethnic
Indians from political power and install an indigenous
president. Ethnic Indians make up 44 percent of the
population but dominate Fiji's economy. (Signed)
NEB/HK/AR/JO/PLM
NEB/
20-Jul-2000 07:56 AM EDT (20-Jul-2000 1156 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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