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Shots fired as Fiji coup continues

KERRY O'BRIEN: With the Fijian political crisis now in its fourth week, tensions flared again today when a spray of shots was fired at a car carrying coup leader George Speight as it drove through a military checkpoint in Suva.

While the potentially explosive incident was contained, it provided dramatic emphasis on how little has been achieved to resolve the impasse or secure the release of 31 political hostages in Fiji's parliamentary compound.

It also came as, for the first time, one of George Speight's key backroom men offered a chilling threat to reduce Fiji to dust if the army attempts an armed attack on the compound.

This man was head of Fijian Military Intelligence until the unit was closed down last year by the newly elected Chaudhry Government.

He is one of several officers who crossed over to the Speight side and was last week decommissioned by the military government.

He spoke exclusively with the 7:30 Report's David Hardaker.

COLONEL METUISELA MUA, FORMER HEAD, FIJI MILITARY INTELLIGENCE: I've spoken with people within the military, within the military, that have said, "We totally agree with the cause, but then we have to follow orders."

But I said, "Look, I find it very difficult to fight with my conscience.

I know where my heart lies in this case and I believe in the cause, despite the method, etc, etc."

DAVID HARDAKER: Colonel Metuisela Mua is one of George Speight's inner sanctum.

A career army man, 12 months ago he was the head of the Fijian Army's Intelligence Service.

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: This, Dave, is my prize for snooker at the Australian Administrative Staff College.

DAVID HARDAKER: Colonel Mua was aware a coup was in the making.

The colonel joined the Speight team two hours after they seized control of the Parliament.

He's remained, ever since, as one of George Speight's key strategists.

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: I can assure your Australian audience these guys have absolutely nothing to gain from this.

It's just a group of young people, all Fijians, who are determined to do this for a cause.

It's for a Fijian cause, indigenous Fijian cause.

DAVID HARDAKER: Are these young people from the army?

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: It's a mixed group.

There are some from the army and a few of them from the public sector that are involved in this.

It took them not very long to hatch this plot.

DAVID HARDAKER: How long are we talking about?

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: Less than a week.

DAVID HARDAKER: In the weeks and days before the coup, Fiji was rife with rumour of a move on the Chaudhry Government, though, under the Constitution, the government could not be thrown out.

The Chaudhry Government had become the target of the nationalist Taukei Movement.

Behind the scenes, the coup plotters were looking for a front man.

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: Mahendra Chaudhry is someone, as I said, everybody loves to hate.

They're all saying the bad things that they have done, the bad policies and their arrogance and whatever, but nobody seemed to have done anything about it except that George Speight was also very vocal about it.

DAVID HARDAKER: So you have a group of army officers and a group of public servants and they go to George Speight?

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: Speight was the gentleman that had connections with these guys through blood relatives to some of them.

So he went in with the guys and they're all committed so they're still there at the moment.

DAVID HARDAKER: Do you believe that the planning was sufficient to carry this out?

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: There were not enough plans -- I can only say that much.

Their commanding officer did his best to try and adjust and re-adjust the plans to at least accommodate what they wanted on the 19th.

DAVID HARDAKER: According to Colonel Mua, the six army men turned for help to former Fijian army colonel Ilisoni Ligairi, known as "the old man".

Ligairi is a special forces expert who, at one time, served with the British SAS.

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: He was requested and he asked them whether or not they understood what they were doing.

They said, "Yes."

Whether or not they are aware of the consequences.

They said, "Yes."

Whether or not they are ready to accept the consequences and they said, "Yes."

So they've said yes to all the questions and he said, "OK, if you are so committed, you go, I'll go with you."

DAVID HARDAKER: What of the role of Sitiveni Rabuka, because from the outside it looked like he was almost part of the coup?

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: That's not true, David, no.

He knew absolutely nothing about it.

He has distanced himself from the events of May 19, but there's nobody else, not even Rabuka, who was aware of the coup.

DAVID HARDAKER: George Speight executed the ill-prepared coup, consigning PM Mahendra Chaudhry to a back room of Parliament where he has stayed ever since.

The coup leader's swearing-in ceremony had the air of farce.

GEORGE SPEIGHT, COUP LEADER: I will swear that I will do the best of my judgment at all times.

DAVID HARDAKER: But as the days and now weeks have passed, it's turned deadly serious.

The 30 or more hostages are George Speight's power and his protection, because whatever amnesty he's given, it can just as easily be taken away if he surrenders his bargaining chips.


That is true.

Even at the moment, with the army exercising executive authority over the land, they can virtually decree anything which is why they're saying, "Please maintain law and order, put in all the decrees that you need regarding the maintenance of law and order, but pass the executive authority to the Great Council of Chiefs so they can decide for the nation."

DAVID HARDAKER: You must understand there's international condemnation of the fact that hostages were taken and that now they're being held so long?

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: I accept that, yes.

I accept the fact that they've been there for a long time but then it's the people, the decision-makers, that have been the cause of all these things, I believe.

DAVID HARDAKER: The fact that there are 30 or more hostages held here means George Speight has been able to stymie attempts by the military government to end this crisis on the government's terms.

But it appears George Speight's group is holding the country to ransom in another way as the coup leader's adviser reveals tonight.

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: If they wanted to apply a military option, then they have plans for that.

DAVID HARDAKER: What are the plans?

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: Oh, plans for that will involve the whole of Fiji and -- I can only say that much.

I cannot say any more.

DAVID HARDAKER: Are you telling us that there are groups, armed groups, around the other parts of Fiji, who might react if the military option is applied?

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: Not armed groups, but things that have already been placed to ensure that if they will apply military option, then they will have to build a new institution tomorrow right throughout Fiji in regards to the military institution, in the north, in the west, and here at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks.

DAVID HARDAKER: So it's not only the hostages -- there are military installations which might also be at risk in case of the military option?


Military installation and other installations right throughout Fiji that if they should exercise a military option, then the whole, you know, the whole country goes to dust.

I don't know whether you believe me but I can tell you that much and the military know that we are serious about that.

Thereafter, the problem will be a recurring problem.

It will never heal.

DAVID HARDAKER: How do you know the military knows that you have this option?


I've told them.

DAVID HARDAKER: Colonel Mua's claim of a scorched earth option for Fiji represents an important new factor in how the military government deals with George Speight and his demands.

It's hard to know just how much support George Speight has beyond the gates of his parliamentary palace.

But Fiji is tearing itself apart as it tries to answer that question and it seems George Speight's people are prepared in case the army does storm the compound.

COLONEL METUISELA MUA: Let them do what they want.

If we're injured in the process and if we're killed, at least our children and our grandchildren will be able to say, "Look, yes, my grandfather was there, he was killed for this cause."

So it's a real difficult situation.

DAVID HARDAKER: There could be hundreds of dead in that compound.


The thing is, are the soldiers prepared to do that?

That's what it amounts to.

KERRY O'BRIEN: Such an appalling prospect discussed in such a civilised way.



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