Pacific Islands Report

Fiji court stops release of coup leader

SUVA, Fiji Islands -– Chief magistrate Salei Temo has been ordered not to make any further rulings on pleas of immunity for May 19 coup leader George Speight and his indigenous rights supporters.

The Supreme Court has decided that it will make the final decision on the matter.

The issue of immunity is at the core of the case against Speight and his followers. They claim it was granted by the military in return for the release of deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and other hostages taken during the May insurrection.

Speight and his group, meanwhile, remain imprisoned on Nukulau Island near Suva.

Solomons peace talks postponed again

HONIARA, Solomon Islands — The official opening of the Solomon Islands peace talks, scheduled to start Tuesday morning on board the New Zealand Navy frigate Te Kaha, has been postponed again.

Deputy Prime Minister Allen Kemakeza said the postponement is to allow remaining procedural matters to be addressed by government officials and representatives of the two battling militia, the Guadalcanal Isatabu Freedom Movement and the Malaita Eagle Force.

The opening had already been postponed from last week.

Kemakeza said a new start time is expected to be announced shortly.

Talks on Bougainville future continue

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — Negotiations on Bougainville’s political future will continue Tuesday in the northern town of Rabaul.

Bougainville leaders expressed anger Monday over the national government’s failure to meet a deadline for a provincial autonomy agreement and a referendum on independence for the mineral-rich island.

Bougainville Affairs Minister Sir Michael Somare had promised such an agreement by mid September, but he now concedes that the announced timetable cannot be met, as it requires constitutional changes.

Bougainville and Port Moresby continue to observe a cease-fire following a ten-year Bougainville war of independence.

Vanuatu peacekeeping mission in E.Timor begins

PORT VILA, Vanuatu — Twenty Vanuatu policemen have left on the country’s first peacekeeping mission outside the Pacific Islands region.

The group will serve under the United Nations in East Timor for a year, joining a contingent of Fijian soldiers.

Another group of Vanuatu policemen is preparing to leave for similar work in Bosnia.

N. Zealand sailors in Solomons shootout

HONIARA, Solomon Islands — A weekend rugby match between the crew of a New Zealand Navy frigate and local players was abandoned after militants went on a shooting spree. No one was injured.

The frigate Te Kaha is in Honiara serving as the venue for planned peace talks between the indigenous people of Guadalcanal and militants from Malaita province who have been battling over land rights and jobs for almost two years.

The incident came halfway through the game. Malaita Eagle Force militants were traveling toward the rugby field when they began firing shots indiscriminately into the air.