Rebel demands to head Fiji civilian gov’t

SUVA, Fiji Islands—Rebel leader George Speight is demanding to head the civilian government to be installed by the country’s new military regime.

Objections from Speight have forced the military to scrap a plan to
immediately appoint a civilian cabinet, headed by a former army chief Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, son-in-law of deposed President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

The head of the interim military government, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, said instead he’ll rule through a military council while negotiations with Speight continue.

U.S.: No sanctions yet vs Fiji

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The State Department has announced that it is premature to consider sanctions against Fiji until the 30 hostages held by civilian coup leader George Speight, including Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, are released.

Department spokesman, Phillip Reeker, said, “I don’t want to go one way or the other, it’s premature. What I want to do is to say that we need to see a release of the hostages and a return to order and then we’ll take it the next step.”

Reeker said Fiji’s leaders should be aware that the country’s international standing is at stake. “We want to see democracy restored there. We want it to be multi-ethnic democracy.”

U.S. advises avoiding Fiji

SUVA, Fiji Islands—The U.S. State Department has warned American citizens against traveling to Fiji amid what it termed the “worsening” crisis.

It has authorized the departure of U.S. embassy personnel and their dependents from Suva.

Germany also has called on its citizens to avoid travel to Fiji and for Germans in the capital to leave as soon as possible.

Niue’s 1,9013 population maybe too high

ALOFI, Niue —The last official population count, taken during a mini-census last October, indicate a total population in the South Pacific mini-state of 1,913 — 969 males and 944 females. That’s a drop of 175 since the last census in 1997.

Statistician Sharon Hill says migration to New Zealand has increased substantially during the past nine months and new population figures are likely to be still lower.

There are 517 occupied homes in the island nation.

Pacific pedal-power odyssey continues

TARAWA, Kiribati—British adventurer Jason Lewis is preparing to take off from Port Betio this week on the next stage of the first human-powered pedal boat crossing of the Pacific.

Lewis will begin to pedal the wooden torpedo-shaped craft Moksha from Kiribati to Honiara, Solomon Islands, 1,062 miles away, en route to Australia.

Lewis landed the 26-foot Moksha on Tarawa last July after a 2,124-foot solo voyage from Hawaii. (Pacific Islands Report)