International - Globescan   

Racial tensions in Fiji

CANBERRA: Fiji will strengthen police presence during the Pacific island country's general elections from May 6 to 13. It's only the second poll since the 2000 coup. Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio quoted Fijian Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes as saying on Monday that additional police are required to service extra polling centres, especially in the more remote parts of the Fiji island chain. ``We've cancelled leave for the month of May to ensure that we've got a maximum number of officers available,'' he said. ``A lot of police involved in administrative functions or training functions will also be deployed to election-related duties,'' he said. His comments came as reports reaching here said that racial tensions bubbled to the surface in Fiji on Monday when the indigenous Prime Minister clashed with the army after suggesting political unrest was possible if his ethnic Indian opponent wins the elections.

Xinhua

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Seven killed in "LTTE attacks"
Travel ban on Baloch leaders
Immigrants on the warpath
Maglev train test successful
Bush's day out with his `clone'
Mangled by the cut-and-paste culture
Iran, Pakistan sign pact
Racial tensions in Fiji
Focus on Thai poll
"Most influential people"
ASEAN to discuss relative functions of members
Injured Indian dies in Nepal

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu