23 Jan 2003

Fiji Democratic Party calls for inquiry into May 2000 coup

9:20 am on 23 January 2003

The Fiji Democratic Party is calling for a commission of inquiry into the May 2000 coup.

The party's vice-president, Isireli Vuibau, says an impartial judge from a Commonwealth country should head the inquiry.

He says there were too many influential people implicated in the coup and a judicial inquiry would allow for the prosecution and eventual rehabilitation of wrongdoers.

Mr Vuibau says soldiers who took part in the coup were brainwashed to do what they did for their superiors and should go free.

Mr Vuibau was one of the ministers of the overthrown Chaudhry government held hostage at gun point for 56 days in parliament after the coup.