Gunmen free Fiji hostages

The police have put roadblocks around parliament

Gunmen holding the Fijian prime minister and senior government members have released 20 staff workers from the parliament building.

The move came after Fijian President Ratu Sir Kamisese said he would use all his resources to bring about "a just and peaceful solution" to the attempted coup.

Fiji Television said there were no politicians among those freed.

Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and other government members were taken hostage on Friday by armed men who stormed parliament and declared a coup in the name of indigenous Fijians.

[The president] has declared a state of emergency and we are working directly for him

Police-military Assistant Commissioner Jahir Kahn

Mr Chaudhry was reported to have collapsed on Saturday.

Fijian television earlier said the would-be coup leader, George Speight, had threatened to kill Prime Minister Chaudhry.

Army units have surrounded the parliament building in the capital Suva. Police and military leaders said that they were not negotiating with the gunmen.

Mr Speight, who says he represents the interests of indigenous Fijians, has declared himself prime minister.

'No support'

Jahir Kahn, assistant commissioner for the police-military operation guarding the streets, said the rebels had no support among the military.

"You can say it's a coup or you can say it's a situation," he said.

"But right now as far as we're concerned [Ratu Mara] is still our president. He's declared a state of emergency and we are working directly for him."

Gunmen are still in control inside the parliament grounds

One of the hostages, Deputy Prime Minister Tupeni Baba, warned the military against storming parliament.

He said: "We understand the president has asked the army to intervene. This scenario would mean that if shooting takes place, we must expect the worst."

Police have been patrolling the streets to prevent a repeat of Friday's looting, when markets were set on fire, windows smashed and shops stripped of their goods.

The president has declared a state of emergency and imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew. Police said 200 rioters had been arrested.

Address

In his televised address, Mr Ratu Mara said the authorities would go to great lengths to avoid violent confrontation but he said he would use all the authority and resources at his command to end the stand-off.

Speight says he won't surrender

He also said he would address tensions between the country's indigenous Fijian and ethnic Indian communities.

Mr Speight said that he was acting against what he said was a government dominated by politicians of Indian ethnic origin.

Prime Minister Chaudhry, who took power a year ago, is the country's first ethnic Indian leader.

After Mr Speight declared himself prime minister on Saturday and appointed other members of his group to cabinet posts, he said that Mr Ratu Mara had "no legal claim to the title of president".

Scuffle

Police said 200 looters were arrested

During a televised ceremony to inaugurate his new administration, Mr Speight brought Mr Chaudhry to the parliament chamber handcuffed and made him kneel on the floor.

Mr Chaudhry could be heard shouting loudly: "We are not legitimising anything."

Calls for security were heard, and there were sounds of Mr Chaudhry being bundled out of the room.

Mr Speight later said that any reports that Mr Chaudhry had been manhandled or injured were "scandalous".