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NUKU'ALOFA - A cousin of Tonga's king has publicly denounced the criminals and thugs behind devastating riots in the capital, saying they had left the country with a A$100 million ($116.37 million) damage bill.
The comments by King Tupou IV's cousin Kololiana Naufahu are the first from the royal family since Thursday's unrest, which destroyed about 80 per cent of Nuku'Alofa's CBD.
"They don't want change for the good of the country or the good of the people, they want change for themselves, they want the power, they want to be king," Naufahu told Australia's ABC.
She said those responsible deserved to face the full force of the law.
The riots were originally blamed on supporters of pro-democracy groups, angered about the slow pace of reforms to reduce the power of the monarchy.
However, some business owners have since said the unrest was the result of commercial rivalry.
- AAP
