Author(s): Michael Field (Journalist specialising in Pacific region in politics)

Current Affairs

This book tracks the latest Fiji coup from Chaudhry?s election through to the eventual conviction and death sentence passed on George Speight.

On 19 May 2000 George Speight led seven armed men into the Fiji Parliament and kidnapped Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his government. The hostages were held for 56 days, during which time the Fiji Military declared martial law and took over Fiji. Speight said he was acting for indigenous Fijians against Indian domination.

This is an intimate account by three authors closely involved in the coup. It includes publication of letters between hostages and their families, and extracts from Tupeni Baba?s secret diary giving graphic descriptions of what happened inside Parliament. The book also looks at earlier Rabuka coups and examines the way ?coup culture? is now a part of the political scene in Fiji.

Michael Field is a veteran Pacific correspondent and has written several books.

Dr Tupeni Baba was Deputy Prime Minister in the Chaudhry government and a hostage. He now works at the University of Auckland.

Unaisi Nabobo-Baba is an academic and has researched the coup from a women's perspective.