Plea for peace in Fiji

Press, 25 September 1987, Page 1

Plea for peace in Fiji

By

JAMES SHRIMPTON

NZPA-AAP Suva

Fiji’s Governor-General is expected to appeal to militant Fijians today to give the country’s proposed bipartisan caretaker Government a fair chance, after a Taukei movement threat to take control forcibly. The Governor-General, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, will address the nation on Radio Fiji about this week’s developments along his “path back to democracy” after the military coup in May.

The caretaker “Council of State” to be established next week to govern Fiji for an Indefinite period, was given a hostile reception yesterday by the radical Taukei movement.

A Taukei spokeswoman, Adi Litia Cakobau, said the Alliance Party, which will be equally represented with the deposed Coalition on the Council of State, had “shortchanged” the Fijian people.

She said the Taukei movement was disappointed that the demands of the Fijian Great Council of Chiefs — for Fijian domination of future parliaments — had been “conveniently brushed aside.”

The Taukei would fight both the Alliance and the Coalition, or any other group that hindered implementation of the Great Council of Chiefs’ resolutions, she said. Adi Litia said the Coalition “represents the Indians but we do not understand which group the Alliance represents.”

She said the Alliance, whose leader is the longtime former Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, “does not have the mandate of the Great Council of Chiefs” which should be the central element of any discussion.

Earlier, another Taukei spokesman, Ratu Meli Veslkula, had put the movement’s position more bluntly.

He accused the Alliance of selling ethnic Fijians’ interests and said- the Taukei were ready to mobilise Fijians if necessary to prevent the Council of State from taking over from Ratu Sir Penaia’s present Council of Advisers.

“We will take Fiji,” Ratu Meli vowed, adding that “some form of force will have to be applied.” Rumours of Taukei violence led many Indianowned shops to close early in Suva yesterday for the third time this week.