Tonga pro-democracy MP calls for all parties to be involved in country's restoration
Posted at 7:19pm on 18 Dec 2006
The Tonga government has been called on to involve all parties in the rebuilding of the country after last month's destructive riot.
The country's best known democracy campaigner, people's representative Akilisi Pohiva, says he has been trying to initiate a dialogue but he says the government has ignored him.
He says the pro-democracy MPs are at the same time being denied access to the government controlled media, while they also face the threat of being arrested amid claims they helped foster the violence.
Mr Pohiva says his message to the government would be to forget what has happened and focus on the future.
"Let us work together. We will ask for the proposals and reconstruction activities of government and give us the opportunity to make our contribution towards the reconstruction and also to bring back peace and order and security to our country."
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