Youths on rampage in Tongan capital

The South Pacific island kingdom of Tonga is in the grip of a pro-democracy riot today, with groups of young men smashing businesses and a hotel and burning down a building belonging to the state-owned power company.

Journalist and publisher Mary Fonua told The Associated Press by phone that the Shoreline power company office was burned to the ground, and that the Pacific Royale Hotel had been “trashed” by hundreds of rampaging youths.

Tongan police were reported to be trying to restore calm in the capital Nuku’alofa, the PacNews news agency reported from Fiji.

Fonua said the rioting appeared to be “mindless violence driven by mindless politics”.

The disturbance follows a meeting in the capital addressed by pro-democracy MPs, pressing for democratic change in the near-feudal kingdom.

Tonga radio and television said the youths were believed to be pro-democracy supporters, unhappy about what they claimed was the delay in implementing political reforms.

Premises owned by prime minister Fred Sevele were also reported to have been attacked by rioters. There was no immediate comment from the government.

Tonga’s King Siaosi Tupou V is believed to be at a royal villa outside the capital.

Telecommunication links into the island kingdom seemed to be affected, with many local subscribers unable to make overseas call and foreign callers unable to reach the island.