14 Feb 2004

Fijian nationalist leader warns police against pursuing investigations into the 2000 coup

8:29 am on 14 February 2004

Fijian nationalist leader, Saula Telawa, has called for an end to all police investigations into the May 2000 coup.

The Daily Post quotes Mr Telawa as saying the police commissioner, Andrew Hughes, should stop trying to arrest those who took part in the coup because all of them were indigenous Fijians.

Otherwise, Mr Telawa warns, Mr Hughes would get himself into trouble.

He says he does not support Mr Hughes because he is a foreigner and a Fijian should lead the force.

Mr Telawa says all the people who took part in the coup were not happy with the 1997 Constitution.

He has called for understanding of their actions, saying someone from elsewhere (meaning former Prime Minister, Mahedra Chaudhry) had entered their house and was ruling them.