George Speight and his gunmen stormed Fiji's parliament 55 days ago, in the name of indigenous Fijian rights. They took hostage the country's first ethnic Indian Prime Minister and 30 other MPs and government officials, demanding an end to Indian political power.
Mr Chaudhry arrived home this evening to a rousing round of applause from supporters, and told them he wants a leadership role in rebuilding his country.
He says it is time for deep reflection and reconciliation, and everyone needs to work together to put Fiji back in shape.
Radio station FM96 says it is not known whether Speight and his rebels have handed in their weapons, as agreed under an accord reached with Fiji's military on Sunday.
Speight has said the ideal outcome of the crisis would be for him to be named Prime Minister. Under the accord, he and his supporters will be granted amnesty for staging the coup.
Over the last week, landowners sympathetic to Speight targeted tourist resorts in a campaign of civil unrest.
Four resorts have been occupied and locals and foreigners held hostage by pro-Speight landowners.
Police stations, a military barracks and an airport building in Suva have also been occupied by Speight supporters, and the military and landowners have set up rival roadblocks across the main island of Viti Levu.
The political crisis has crippled Fiji's economy, with Speight sympathisers taking over four tourist resorts in the past three days. Tourism and sugar are key foreign exchange earners for the South Pacific nation.
- HERALD ONLINE STAFF and AGENCIES
More Fiji coup coverage
Main players in the Fiji coup
The hostages
Under seige: map of the Parliament complex
Fiji facts and figures
Images of the coup - a daily record
George Speight: "I’m certainly not mad."
