Fiji Hostage Talks Snag but Are Likely to Resume Today

Talks to free 30 politicians being held hostage by Fijian nationalist rebels were on hold again today because of a “misunderstanding” between the rebels and Fiji’s military government.

The military said the rebels had not appreciated that it had made its final offer; rebel leader George Speight said the problem was minor and that talks should resume later in the day.

Both called the interruption a misunderstanding. A military spokesman also said he expected the talks to resume later today.

Speight said it appeared that military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama was conferring with a group of advisors that had not previously taken part in the negotiations and that it was influencing the military.

Speight, a failed businessman and former insurance salesman, raided Parliament on May 19 with a group of six gunmen, seizing Mahendra Chaudhry, Fiji’s first ethnic Indian prime minister, and most of his government.

Speight said he took the hostages to push for the return of political control to indigenous Fijians.

On Sunday, the two sides said they had reached a draft accord and that the main sticking point before the hostages could be freed was agreement on how long the military would continue to rule before returning Fiji to the control of an appointed president and an interim civilian government.

The military wants to rule Fiji for an additional three months to maintain order, but the rebels want an immediate transfer of power to indigenous tribal leaders.

The military has said it would grant amnesty to the hostage-takers, whereas Speight has sought a wider amnesty covering activities directly and indirectly involved in the hostage-taking. The military also said it would grant the amnesty only once the hostages were released and stolen munitions returned.