Gunshots Greet New Fiji Govt.

S U V A, Fiji, July 4 -- A firefight erupted outside parliament betweentroops and supporters of rebel leader George Speight today,just hours after a former banking executive was sworn in as thehead of a military-installed all-Fijian interim government.

The violence was a blow to new Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase’shopes for a peaceful resolution to Fiji’s hostage crisis. Speightis holding 27 members of the ousted Indian-led government atparliament.

Each side accused the other of starting today’s fighting,which lasted about 15 minutes and left five Speight supporterswounded — all shot in the leg.

At almost the same time, three Speight sympathizers wereconfiscating arms and ammunition at an army base in the town ofLabasa on the northern island of Vanua Levu.

Muting the Mutiny

The military quickly dispatched negotiators to keep the mutinyfrom spreading and from further complicating an already tangledsituation.

“I think what happened in Labasa will turn into a domino effectacross the country,” Speight said.

The decision by the military on Monday to appoint a newgovernment comprised entirely of indigenous Fijians appeared tomeet Speight’s stated goals.

Speight, who launched his coup May 19, claims to be acting onbehalf of Fiji’s indigenous majority in his fight for a newgovernment system that denies the ethnic Indian minority politicalpower. Deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry — who is among thehostages — is the first Fijian of Indian ancestry to lead thecountry.

But at a news conference, Speight was angry at the military’sunilateral appointments because they did not include his choice tohead the country.

“The actions of the army are … considered insulting,provocative and devoid of any consideration of the stability of thecountry,” the former insurance executive said, adding that he didnot expect the new government to be in power long.