1 Mar 2006

Fiji government senator to retire from active politics

11:28 am on 1 March 2006

Controversial Fiji government senator Mohammed Apisai Tora is to retire from active politics after 48 years.

Mr Tora, who is currently serving an extra-mural jail sentence for seizing a military checkpoint during the coup, has sent his letter of resignation to the latest party he belonged to, the People's National party.

In his long political career Mr Tora has belonged to or founded more than half a dozen political parties.

Mr Tora led the agitation which resulted in the Rabuka coups in 1987 and the Speight coup in 2000.

On both occasions he was appointed a cabinet minister in the interim administration formed after the overthrow of the elected governments.

Mr Tora says he would like to comment on the current political situation and the military's leadership, but cannot do so until he finishes serving his extramural sentence next Monday.