NEWSFLASH: Coup Group Could Be In New Government

Thursday, 25 May 2000, 8:18 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Fijilive.com has just reported the decisions made by the Great Council of Chiefs which have been communicated to the hostage takers in the Fijian Parliamentary compound.

Controversially it appears that members of George Speight's group may be offered a place in a new interim government. That decision will be up to President Ratu Mara.

The terms of the GCC decision as announced by a press conference of GCC chairman Sitiveni Rambuka are:

- The President has the sole authority to appoint a council of advisers and that some of these advisers may be accepted from the group led by Speight.

- The President be requested to exercise his powers to pardon all those who participated in the forcible takeover of Parliament and the kidnapping of the People's Coalition Government.

- The President be requested to give full and urgent attention to the grievances raised by the various Taukei (Fijian) groups during the recent protest marches with special attention given to ensuring that the position of Prime Minister and President, together with some other senior positions, which are not specified as yet, will always be held by indigenous Fijians and Rotumans.

- An immediate request be made for the release of all hostages from the Parliamentary Complex and the surrender of all firearms to the police.

- It will be available for dialogue with Speight and his followers should the need arise.

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Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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