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SUVA, Friday (AFP)

Fiji's parliament was Friday sealed off by police after the government walked out of a debate in which they were accused of being behind the 2000 coup.

Police cleared the compound and sealed it off, refusing access to anyone because of unspecified "security concerns."

They later allowed politicians to return to the compound but refused access to journalists or members of the public.

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase was due to make a statement at 3.00 p.m. (0300 GMT).

The parliament compound was where the elected government of Mahendra Chaudhry was held hostage by a group of nationalist rebels for 56 days from May 2000.

Senior police officer Romano Tiko Tiko Tha told AFP: "For the time being we have sealed off parliament.

"We are concerned about how the people will interpret what is happening at the moment."

He said he was worried that "masses of people" would descend on parliament, although there was no evidence of this happening.

The police action came shortly after, opposition MP, Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi, one of the people held hostage in 2000, had told parliament:

"I have been told by reliable sources that the Prime Minister (Laisenia Qarase) knew that the coup would happen." The government then walked out of parliament.

The latest drama came just days after coup leader George Speight was senteced to life in prison after being convicted for treason for his role in the events of 2000.

The trial had been expected to reveal the full story of the coup. But after Speight and ten accomplices unexpectedly pleaded guilty, the world was left none the wiser.

Gerard McCoy, the lawyer who prosecuted Speight, is among those who believe that Speight was acting under orders from senior figures in Fiji whose role in the coup was never investigated.

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