Coup leaders in Fiji, the Solomon Islands and elsewhere should realise that the world has changed and they face being ostracised by the international community, the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, said yesterday. Mr Annan was replying to questions about attempted coups under way in the two south Pacific nations.
"It's incredible what's happening there," he said. "You have almost a copycat syndrome. It started in Fiji and then you have it in the Solomon Islands."
"But I think these people who would want to take over by force, ought to understand that we live in a different world, a world where many countries . . . in all regions are becoming democratic, and that the world and the international community are not going to welcome coup makers into their midst that easily."
He said coup plotters were "setting themselves and their nations up for ostracism and creating international pressure".
"They should really think through this because the risks are not worth it for their people. And in time they will realise it is not worth it for them[selves] either."
Meanwhile, Fijian soldiers and coup rebels exchanged gunfire yesterday near Suva's parliamentary compound where some 30 political hostages, including the deposed Prime Minister, Mr Mahendra Chaudhry, have been held since May 19th.
"Four chaps from the [rebel] compound were looting a nearby house and our soldiers arrested one man and fired some shots in the air," Fiji's military spokesman, Mr Filipo Tarakinikini said. "Three of them ran back into the compound and fired at the soldiers and they returned their fire." Mr Tarakinikini said he did not believe anyone was wounded in the skirmish between Fiji's military and the rebel group led by failed businessman, Mr George Speight.
A Commonwealth delegation is due to travel to Fiji late this week and it also plans to visit the neighbouring Solomon Islands, where jungle fighting between ethnic groups reportedly left up to 100 dead yesterday, following a coup there on Monday.
Mr Speight condemned the looting by his supporters that prompted the exchange of gunfire with the military. He said those involved had been turned out of the complex.
"Our security people have . . . turned some of them over, some have been taken in to the police for questioning," he said.
A high-ranking foreign military source said the rebels had a cache of stolen military weapons in the compound with which they were capable of keeping the army at bay.
Witnesses said they heard about 12 shots, the first of which were warning shots fired by Fijian soldiers at a roadblock at the back of the sprawling parliamentary complex. Three of the looters ran back inside the compound, from where some of Mr Speight's armed guards returned fire, according to witnesses. Mr Speight has about 200 supporters inside the complex.
In an indication that the coup attempt might stimulate secessionist movements, about 70 traditional chiefs from five provinces met in Nadi, Fiji's economic centre in the west of Viti Levu island yesterday, to discuss a possible breakaway by the west from the political capital of Suva in Viti Levu's south-east.
The chiefs come from an area where opposition to Mr Speight is strong and they are also unhappy with the general political situation in Suva.