Police detain Fiji church leaders again

Fiji’s military regime has again arrested and detained key leaders of Fiji’s Methodist Church.
It’s believed they are being questioned in relation to the upcoming Methodist Church Conference planned for late August.
Among those arrested was former President of the Fiji Methodist Church, Reverend Manasa Lasaro; General Secretary, Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu, the Secretary for Pastoral Ministry, Tomasi Kanailagi and the Church’s Finance Secretary Viliame Gonelevu.
The Chief of Rewa, Rotemumu Kepa, who was to host the conference, has also been arrested and detained.
Observers say at least three military vehicles turned up at their respective residences last night and picked them up.
Reverend Waqairatu was also among five Methodist Church leaders and another five lay people, who were taken in for questioning by the military regime yesterday.
The interim government authorities are not talking about their action, but Reverend Waqairatu had earlier said that it was in relation to conference.
The Church is planning to go ahead with the conference regardless of the interim government’s stand.
‘Not mistreated’
Earlier, Reverend Waqairatu said he and the other church ministers were not mistreated by the police during their first detention.
“Actually they were members of the Methodist Church and they were concerned about their responsibility,” he said.
“We know that there was a little bit of worry that they showed in their facial expressions because they are taking the men of God. And we told them ‘Don’t you worry, just do your responsibility and we will do ours’. And we ended up, afternoon tea, and then a word of prayer.”