Fijian troops killed one supporter of the nationalist rebel leader, Mr George Speight, and arrested 37 yesterday in a new sweep of trouble spots two days before he is due to appear in court.
About 100 fresh troops were sent to the second largest island, Vanua Levu, where ethnic Indians in the farming community of Dreketi have been the target of random attacks by ethnic Fijian nationalists, a military official said.
A military spokesman, Maj Howard Politini, said there were two shootings in Dreketi, one when a rebel was injured fatally and a second where rebels in a vehicle shot a cane labourer in the leg. "When they [troops] approached the village, the chap had a weapon and he fired it towards the military," he said. "The soldiers returned fire." The injured man was rushed to hospital but died before arrival. The 37 arrested included the five in the vehicle who shot the cane labourer.
"A lot of the rebels who were responsible for [the attacks] have fled into the bush and that of course is going to be something that the military will continue to seek out," Maj Politini said.
Up to 20 Indian families in Dreketi were briefly held hostage on Sunday by armed rebel nationalists, who roamed the streets at will and also burned several homes and farm buildings.
Mr Speight was arrested last week and charged on Monday with firearm offences, illegal assembly and the illegal burial of a supporter inside parliament house.
He was arrested only after failing to meet the conditions of an amnesty offered for charges which resulted when he and his supporters stormed parliament on May 19th. He was transferred to the island prison of Nukulau, off Suva, with seven key aides. Police are investigating the possible charge of treason, which carries the death penalty, against him.
The acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Joe Naigulevu, said Mr Speight must appear in court before 10 p.m. (11 a.m. Irish time) on Saturday when a court order allowing for his detention under military decree expires.