6 Jun 2007

Fiji's ousted SDL says regime changed Qarase stance

3:03 pm on 6 June 2007

A spokesman for Fiji's ousted SDL party says they remain uncomfortable with the manner in which the emergency regulations have been lifted.

The interim government removed the regulations last Thursday, but the SDL's national director, Peceli Kinivuwai, says it was done to meet the rules of engagement with the European Union.

He says people are still being taken in for questioning and soldiers continue to operate as police.

Mr Kinivuwai says the interim government is not giving the people a true indication of what their intentions are.

"They have told the people of Fiji that Laisenia Qarase's coming into the capital is a non-issue as far as they are concerned. But you would be aware that when they took over the government on the 6th December, for two weeks they were saying to the people of Fiji that they do not want Qarase to ever set foot in Suva. But six months down the line they are singing a different tune."

Peceli Kinivuwai.

Last week, an interim goverment spokesman said there were never any restrictions on Mr Qarase's movement.