FIJI: COUP: HOSTAGES LATEST

(24 Jun 2000) English/Nat
XFA
In Fiji the breakthrough deal between coup leader George Speight and military leaders trumpeted on Friday is once more on hold.

The agreement - which was due to be signed on Saturday - would have paved the way for the release of the 31 political hostages held by Speight, and the handover of power to an interim civilian government, as well as amnesty for Speight and the rebels involved in the May 19 coup.

But on Saturday it seemed that Speight had brought fresh demands to the table and talks broke down twice before finally being scheduled to restart on Sunday.

After breaking down for several hours on Saturday, talks between Fiji's military rulers and gunmen holding 31 members of the deposed government hostage resumed, then once more ended without result.

Hopes that a deal which would allow the captives to be released soon were put on hold until Sunday, when talks were scheduled to resume.

The deal would have ended a standoff which entered its 37th day on Saturday.

But it was also expected to scrap some of Fiji's democratic traditions, grant an amnesty to the gunmen and reduce the rights of its ethnic Indian minority.

Because it falls short of returning Fiji to democracy, the agreement would likely have done little to ease the South Pacific nation's economic woes.

Military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama and rebel leader George Speight at first met on Saturday to look over the final draft of an accord which negotiators on both sides said on Friday would pave the way for the hostages' release.

But Bainimarama left the meeting after less than 20 minutes without signing the accord.

At a church in Suva relatives of the hostages were staging a prayer vigil for the release of their loved ones.

They were very disappointed as news broke that once more their hopes for a speedy reunion had been dashed.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We've been meeting every morning and everybody was excited for today and they've gone as far as having to prepare special things in their homes, the little things that would mean a lot to their husbands, and this morning their morale was very low, and the look on everybody's face was a sad look."
SUPER CAPTION: Joana Bale, wife of hostage (former minister of regional development and culture)

A few hours later Bainimarama returned to the meeting and resumed talks.

But they ended again around nightfall, still with no agreement reached, and are scheduled to restart on Sunday.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We'll meet again at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. The point that's being worked on was a new point that was brought up by the George Speight group this morning, and no agreement could be reached today, and so Mr Speight and his group will need the time between now and 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon to go and reconsider this point and come back to the table."
SUPER CAPTION: Lt Col Filipo Tarakinikini, military spokesman

Radio Fiji reported that the talks had broken down because Speight balked at a timetable for the release of the hostages proposed by Bainimarama.

Bainimarama apparently wanted the hostages - who include former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry - released within three hours of the signing.

Speaking from their family home, the Prime Minister's wife was devastated by the news of yet another delay.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Virmati Chaudhry, wife of hostage Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry

Speight's main demands were the ousting of Chaudhry's government, the scrapping of Fiji's multiracial constitution, and an amnesty for him and his men.












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