20 Oct 2004

Fijian political party calls for release of all coup convicts

11:16 am on 20 October 2004

The Fijian Political Party, the SVT, has called on the authorities to release all coup prisoners and stop all coup investigations.

The Fiji Sun reports that call has come from the SVT's general secretary, Ema Druavesi.

Mrs Druavesi is quoted as saying during the recent Reconciliation Week, President Iloilo had accepted the traditional apology by Fijian chiefs who were involved.

She says the acceptance signalled to the indigenous Fijian community that all those involved had been forgiven.

Mrs Druavesi says the forgiveness was not complete because some of those involved are on trial while others are in jail.

She says as the president has accepted their apology, all those in prison for the coup should be released and all coup investigations should be stopped.

Earlier, the National Federation Party had said that the apology ceremony should not be used to release those in prison for the coup.