Author:
Publication: The Daily Post
Date: November 29, 2002
Deposed Prime Minister Mahendra
Chaudhry yesterday said he had no contact with treason suspect Josefa Nata
in his 56 days of captivity.
Mr Chaudhry told the High Court
he had to make tough decisions at the height of the 2000 attempted coup
despite his life being under threat.
Testifying in the treason trial
of Josefa Nata and Timoci Silatolu yesterday, Mr Chaudhry said: "I had
to make a choice as the Prime Minister to either give in to these thugs
and terrorists or stand my ground. I stood my ground and upheld the virtues
of democracy."
He spoke on how the gunmen entered
the complex and dragged him onto the floor of Parliament.
He said seven armed gunmen entered
the complex and they were led by George Speight.
He said that after declaring their
intentions of removing his government, "amending" the constitution
and installing a Fijian government, they dragged him and his fellow
Cabinet members to the floor after tying their hands with plastic
strips.
Mr Chaudhry said Speight then made
calls to MPs, in particular to Ratu Isireli Vuibau and Ratu Tu'uakitau
Cokanauto to join him.
He said Ratu Isireli flatly refused
the invitation while Ratu Tu'uakitau said he needed time to think.
Mr Chaudhry said Silatolu was asked
to join Speight, and he did after a few minutes.
He said Silatolu had many times
asked him to resign while he was being held hostage.
He, however, said he had no direct
contact with Nata during his 56 days in captivity.
He said there were times when his
life was threatened just because he would not consider resigning as Prime
Minister or tendering the resignation of his People's Coalition Government.
One of these incidents occurred
on May 22, 2000, when Mr Chaudhry was dragged to the lawn of the Parliamentary
Complex and had a gun put to his head.
He was then told if the army tried
to break into the complex, he and his MPs would be used as human shields.
Mr Chaudhry said he suffered verbal
and physical abuse and in one incident on May 20, six youths dragged him
out and physically assaulted him.
Ironically, Mr Chaudhry said George
Speight appeared and ordered the youths to leave him alone. He was then
helped by Speight to get back to his room.
He said his religion was insulted
and he was called a heathen at times.
"I had faith in my religion, their
idea was to break me down but they couldn't."
