Fiji to Shelve Democracy, Leader Says; Use of Force to Resolve Crisis Ruled Out

Stymied in attempts to free hostages held inside Parliament, Fiji’s new military ruler said Wednesday that it might be years before democratic elections could be held.

The military leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, accused rebel leader George Speight of dodging talks on releasing the captives held for two weeks.

“They keep avoiding the issue,” Bainimarama said.

But Bainimarama ruled out force to end the standoff, saying, “We have to think of the lives of the hostages.”

Speight has achieved most of his aims--the removal of Fiji’s president and prime minister, the scrapping of the constitution, and a promise of amnesty for himself and his supporters.

But Speight, who says he represents the majority indigenous Fijians against the minority ethnic Indians, told an Australian TV interviewer that he would keep the captives “for as long as is necessary.”

He called the hostages’ “discomfort” a small price to pay for the injustices done to indigenous Fijians.

Fijians of Indian ancestry, who make up 44% of the population of 813,000, control much of the commerce in this South Pacific nation 3,000 miles southwest of Hawaii.

Bainimarama on Wednesday named an interim prime minister: Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, whose wife is among the captives. Others being held include Mahendra Chaudhry, who has been ousted as prime minister. Chaudhry was the nation’s first ethnic Indian premier.

The military leader, however, said he would postpone the formation of a civilian government. He later said he would not name new ministers until the hostages were freed.

A spokesman, Lt. Col. Filipo Tarakinikini, said that, even after the hostage crisis ends, the military leaders might have to consider what to do about forming a new government.

“We may run a much more efficient administration with the military,” Tarakinikini said.

Bainimarama said that an interim government would draw up a new constitution and prepare for new elections but warned that the process could take up to three years.

Speight said after talks Wednesday night between his representatives and the military that the concept of a military government being in place in Fiji until a new constitution could be written was unacceptable.

“These types of things can take two years, sometimes up to five years,” Speight told local radio. “It is not a concept that we support.”

Bainimarama told a news conference in Suva, the capital, that he had personally guaranteed that Speight and six gunmen who stormed Parliament on May 19 would receive amnesty.

As Bainimarama spoke, armed supporters of Speight stoned cars and beat motorists outside Parliament in violence that appeared to target ethnic Indians. Police and soldiers did little to stop them.

Fearing the violence in Suva, the Mormon Church said Wednesday that it had evacuated its 65 missionaries from the capital and sent them to the west as a precautionary move.

One hostage was released Wednesday for her sister’s funeral. The woman left the parliamentary complex flanked by two police officers only after promising to return when the ceremony was over. It was not clear if she returned.