Tourists advised to avoid Fiji

By AUDREY YOUNG

New Zealand tourists in Fiji should leave as soon as they can, Prime Minister Helen Clark warned last night.

"As expeditiously as people can leave by commercial flights, they should," she said, in the strongest warning since George Speight's armed raid on Fiji's Parliament on May 19.

"Suva is not a safe place to be. Our very strong advice to New Zealanders is 'please leave' and to others 'please don't go to Fiji'."

New Zealand had contingency plans to evacuate nationals quickly if required.

An estimated 3000 New Zealanders are on holiday in Fiji and 400 are resident there.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade also issued a statement last night advising against travel to Fiji until further notice.

It also advised New Zealanders in Suva to leave, make plans to return home and to register with the High Commission in Fiji.

A state of emergency existed and a curfew was in place in the greater Suva area, nearby Nausori, the area between Suva and Nausori as well as Labasa on the island of Vanua Levu, it said.

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Under seige: map of the Parliament complex