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Rebel Fiji military troops who took over the army barracks in Labasa at the height of the post-coup insurrection last year have each been fined 10 Fiji dollars, after pleading guilty to charges of unlawful assembly.
That's $NZ10.32.
The Fiji Times reports the 54 rebel soldiers were charged with assembling at the Labasa barracks last year in support of the George Speight coup and the formation of a new government.
They forced out the commanding officer, took control of the barracks and the armoury, and allowed in hundreds of civilian supporters into the camp.
The magistrate fined the soldiers and bound them over not to re-offend for 18 months.
The rebel troops will appear again in the Labasa magistrates court on June 5 to answer other charges.
Human rights complaints up
The Fiji Human Rights Commission says there has been a dramatic increase in the number of complaints lodged with it since the coup last year.
Its director, Shaista Shameem, says some of them have been made by members of the army's Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit, which was disbanded after the group carried out a mutiny in a bid to kill the army commander.
The unit also supplied the gunmen who took the government hostage a year ago.
Dr Shameem says many complaints relate to the crisis caused by the coup.
Fiji nationalists name Indo-Fijian candidate
Fiji's nationalists have named their first ever Indo-Fijian general election candidate.
The Fiji Times says a Savusavu businessman, Munesh Prasad, has joined the New Nationalitst Party and will stand in the Cakaudrove East Communal seat in the August election.
Prasad is quoted as saying it is his birthright to be called a nationalist. He says if Indians and Fijians continue living together they will have to co-operate.
A Vanua Levu spokesman for the New Nationalists, Seru Komaitotoya, says this is a breakthrough for the party.
Komaitotoya says Prasad now identified himself as a nationalist, not an Indian, and no law under the sun can take that away from him.
He says those who were born in Fiji have to identify themselves as nationalists.
Chaudhry among those sued by businessman
A prominent Fiji businessman has sued deposed prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry and six others, including the National Farmers Union, for alleging that he was involved in last year's coup.
The defamation action has been brought by Charan Jeath Singh, a Labasa-based former National Federation Party MP.
Singh is seeking damages for the alleged distribution of pamphlets which claim that he and 26 other businessmen financed last year's coup.
The pamphlets were allegedly used in the recent Cane Growers Council elections by the National Farmers Union of which Chaudhry is secretary.
Singh is seeking damages of $US108,000.
Chaudhry has not been available for comment on the writ. But he and the Labour Party president, Jokapeci Koroi, have taken out a writ of their own to stop the work of the constitution review committee, claiming it is illegal.
The writ names the committee chairman, Professor Asesela Ravuvu, its members and the attorney general as defendants.
High commissioner clearing slated
There is strong criticism in Fiji of the public service commission's decision to clear the country's high commissioner to Malaysia and Bau high chief, Adi Samanunu Talakuli Cakobau, of involvement in last year's coup.
The commission says an investigation found no factual evidence which would justify disciplinary proceedings against her.
Adi Samanunu arrived at the parliamentary complex from Kuala Lumpur soon after George Speight and his gunmen had overthrown the government.
She spent six weeks with the hostage takers and chaired a meeting of chiefs who supported the coup.
Adi Samanunu was then Speight's nominee to be the post-coup prime minister but returned to Malaysia when the military made Laisenia Qarase the interim prime minister.
Reacting to Thursday's PSC decision, the Fiji Trades Union Congress says the investigation was a sham and has embarrassed the public service.
The Public Service Association says the commission has destroyed the integrity and the trust placed in it by public servants.
Some good news at tourism meeting
Some 20 foreign travel agents had to be turned away from the Bula Fiji Tourism Exchange because of the high turnout.
The expo got underway on Wednesday and was to showcase Fiji and other regional resorts, hotels and tourist industry players to overseas tour operators.
A total of 118 local and regional operators were exhibiting to over 135 overseas buyers representing Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
In a speech opening the exchange, the caretaker prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, said the popularity of the event sends a strong signal about the resurgance of Fiji as a top destination following the devastating impact of last year's coup.
And Qarase has revealed that Fiji's national carrier is committing some $US43 million in marketing the country abroad and will increase its flights to Los Angeles from June to four a week.
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