Tentative Deal for Release of Fiji Hostages Falls Through

Rebels who seized control of Parliament charged today that Fiji’s military backed out of an agreement that would have led to the quick release of 30 hostages.

The rebel leader, businessman George Speight, had said he might release his captives by Monday, contingent on an agreement with the military to let Fiji’s influential tribal chiefs determine the next form of government, military or civilian.

“There’s been a breach of faith,” Speight spokesman Jo Nata said today. He said the military had signed off on a plan to let the chiefs resolve the dispute but later insisted that Fiji would remain under military control.

The announcement came after rebels met with representatives of military ruler Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

There was no immediate comment from the military or from Speight about how the deadlock would affect the fate of the hostages.

Earlier, a spokesman for the military, Capt. Howard Politini, said discussions had moved to the fine points of a deal for releasing the captives and an arms surrender.

Speight has maintained that he’s confident that he will be installed as prime minister after the council meets Monday. Although Fiji’s chiefs hold little formal power, they command considerable respect and influence.

Speight threw Fiji into crisis on May 19 by seizing Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and 30 other members of the government. The military eventually declared martial law and suspended the constitution.

The crisis is rooted in simmering tensions between the country’s ethnic Indian minority and the Fijian majority.

The rebels are indigenous Fijians, while Chaudhry and other hostages are ethnic Indian. The rebels want Fijians of Indian ancestry barred from governing the country.