Vanuatu rebels blow up Santo bridges

Press, 5 August 1980, Page 8

Vanuatu rebels blow up Santo bridges

SIZPA-Reuter Port Vila Rebels on toe island of Espiritu Santo in newly independent Vanuatu blew up two important road bridges over the week-end, a senior official said yesterday. Mr Peter Taurokoto, private secretary to the Vanuatu Prime Minister (the Rev. Walter Lini) said that “according to the information we have received from Santo, the rebels probably used dynamite to blow up the bridges.” The bridges were on important roads linking Santo’s main town, Luganville, with Hog Harbour ou toe east coast and Tangoa Island off the southern coast.

Mr Taurokoto agreed that the attacks showed that rebels loyal to Mr

Jimmy Stevens were still very active outside Luganville. A force of 200 Royal Marines and French paratroopers landed on Santo nearly two weeks ago in a bid to end toe rebellion before toe former New Hebrides were declared independant last Wednesday. But the troops have confined themselves mainly to Luganville and the rebels have remained active in toe rural areas. The latest flare-up of violence showed the depth of the problems facing the fietigling country after 74 years of confused dual administration by Britain and France. Mr Taurokoto. said the Vanuatu police and the British and French troops were investigating the explosions but no other information was immediately available.

He also revealed that' there had been problems on another island — Epi ■ — where supporters of Mr p Stevens’ Nagriamel Party j had blocked roads with,; chains because a Govern- ; ment officer confiscated al party flag they were | flying shortly before inde- ! pendence. j But he said that after' negotiations with a Gov- | ernment envoy, the chains ,; had been removed and thej Home Affairs Minister - (Mr Fred Timakata) was I considering returning the , flag to the opposition sup- > porters. j The rebels on Santo were reported to have stolen a large quantity of • dynamite from a public works depot when they) took over the island at the I end of May, forcing the evacuation of 4000 people, many of whom lived on Tangoa Island.