Fiji crisis talks on hold ahead of holiday

Fiji crisis talks on hold ahead of holiday
Marie McInerney

Suva, July 23: Talks to resolve Fiji's politicalcrisis were on hold on Sunday, as the nation prepared for a day off to mark a multi-racial constitution scrapped at the insistence of rebels now demanding a major role in government.

"You're joking," said presidential senior aide Joe Brownewhen asked if any ceremonies were planned to mark Fiji's Constitution Day holiday on Monday.

"What is there to celebrate under the prevailingcircumstances," he told Reuters.

The rebels, who plunged the country into crisis nine weeksago, have warned of fresh unrest unless the government sack the military-backed Prime minister and replace him with their own choice of a woman Chief, Adi Samanuna Cakobau.

The rebels also want more of their supporters named toother key positions of power.

President Ratu Josefa Iloilo is trying to install the newPrime minister and government to fill the political vacuum created when the rebels took Fiji's first ethnic-Indian Prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry hostage on May 19, bringing down his government.

The coup and weeks of political instability have promptedinternational sanctions and crippled Fiji's economy.

Australia on Sunday threatened new sanctions against Fijiif the rebels gained more control in the new government.

"If Mr Speight became a member of the new cabinet, I thinkfrankly Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the United States, Japan and others would have to review the measures we've already taken towards Fiji," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.

Downer told Australia's Channel Nine television the SouthPacific nation could also be expelled from the Commonwealth if it did not move back towards democracy within two years.

The rebels held Chaudhry and most of his cabinet hostage inparliament for 56 days before the military bowed to their demands to consolidate indigenous Fijian political domination and strip ethnic-Indians of political power.

Among the demands was the scrapping of Fiji's acclaimed1997 constitution which led to Chaudhry's sweeping election win last year. Ethnic-Indians make up 44 percent of the population.

Browne said talks between the President's office, thecaretaker government headed by Prime Minister Lausenia Qarase and the rebels could resume on Monday but he would give no details.

"There are none on today," he said.

Rebel spokesman Joe Nata said on Saturday there had been"nothing substantive" in talks with officials representing Iloilo.

Nata said the President must name a new leader soon asrebel supporters were getting frustrated.

"Our people are getting itchy," he said. "If they have towait too long, they won'T listen to us anymore and that would be a very sorry thing for Fiji."

Last week rebel supporters took over electricity and policestations and blocked roads. They still occupy a power plant and the Army have reported several attempts to take over checkpoints.

Cakobau, whose grandfather ceded Fiji to Britain in 1874,is regarded as close to royalty.

She recently returned to Fiji from Malaysia where she wasFiji's High Commissioner. A spokesman said on Sunday she did not want to discuss her nomination by the rebels.