SUVA, Fiji (26 Aug 2001) -- Indigenous Fijians and ethnic Indians stood in separate lines at many polling booths Saturday on the first day of weeklong elections aimed at restoring democracy to the racially divided nation. VOTING WENT smoothly in the elections called to replace the South Pacific nation's first ethnic Indian-led government, ousted 15 months ago in a nationalist coup. Lines were divided by race because of a voting system that reserves some spots in the 71-seat Parliament for members of particular ethnic groups. But it underlined the racial gulf Fiji must bridge if it is to return to stability. Voters in some parts of the country waited up to three hours to cast their ballots, a delay which elections officials and international observers reported was the only serious glitch. Police were out in force as security was tightened for the polling. Extra staff were rushed to some polling stations to shorten lines, said deputy election supervisor Kameli Koto. Businessman George Speight stormed the country's Parliament 15 months ago, taking Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime minister and his Cabinet hostage and saying he wanted to return power to indigenous Fijians. The interim government currently in power was installed by the military during negotiations with Speight while he was holding the hostages. In this election, the Fiji Labor Party of the ousted prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, is positioned as a leading contender to win more seats than any other party. Speight also is standing as a candidate for a nationalist Fijian party. Despite being in custody on an island off Suva on charges of treason, Speight has the right to run so long as he is not convicted of a serious crime. His trial is expected to start early next year. | | Fijians battled long lines to cast votes Fiji's military-installed prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, said it was "one of the most important elections in the country since independence" in 1970. "It's not the last chance" for democracy in Fiji, he said. "Democracy is here and it's alive, and we'll take it from here." There was to be no voting Sunday in the deeply religious nation, which is scattered over more than 300 islands. Election results are expected in early September. Indians, brought to Fiji in the 19th century by British colonizers to work in sugar plantations, make up 44 percent of Fiji's 820,000 people, but control most of the nation's economy. International observer missions from the United Nations, British Commonwealth and European Union are monitoring the election. U.S. Rep. Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat from American Samoa, said he was impressed by the orderly voting and absence of violence or intimidation. "If there has been any sense of threat, it has certainly not been (evident)," he said. |
