Northland-based Tongans fear the political turmoil in their homeland has the potential to trigger a bloody riot as happened 11 years ago.
The King of Tonga unexpectedly dismissed the Prime Minister, Akilisi Pohiva, last Friday, dissolved Parliament and ordered a new election be held by November 16.
The move was gazetted after King Tupou VI met with the nobles, the Privy Council and Parliament. Mr Pohiva, the former leader of the Tongan democracy movement, has been Prime Minister since 2014. He will act as interim Prime Minister until the election.
Mr Pohiva came under strong criticism for poor financial management and for cancelling the Pacific Games, which Tonga had been planning to host in 2019.
Wesley Methodist Church minister Reverend Kuli Fisi'iahi of Dargaville said he and fellow Tongans in Northland were praying there wouldn't be a repeat of the 2006 riot in Nuku'alofa that killed eight people.