Tonga
Nuku’alofa Burns
Riots Deal Blow To Economy
 |
| Ana Veronesi and her Italian husband owned the upmarket Lunarossa Restaurant which was gutted by fire on Thursday, November 16th. They are determined to rebuild their business. |
November 16,2006 has come to be known as Black Thursday in Tonga. It was the day that a crowd of people, fuelled by alcohol and frustration over the pace of political reform in the Pacific Kingdom, set fire to Nuku’alofa.
Six people died in the riots. Damage worth over US$62 million was done to local business and infrastructure. About 700 people have lost their jobs. Australian and New Zealand soldiers roamed Nuku’alofa’s streets. More than 600 people have been charged in relation to the troubles.
- ADVERTISEMENT -
 |
| Royal New Zealand Police Officer Tony White holds a petrol can. New Zealand police assisted the Tongan force in forensic investigations following the November 16th riots. This building, a photo processing lab and shop, was the seat of one fire which fanned by winds and tinder dry wood quickly burnt out the whole block. |
After the riots, Tonga’s new King, Siaosi Tupou V said, “A few meters away, buildings lie burned, bodies have been retrieved from the ashes and our capital is silent as it has never before. We have lost much, especially the long-cherished carefree happy life and freedom to move about as we wish. We have now become prisoners in our home.
“As a people, we need now to re-gather our strength. We have to rebuild. We have to rebuild trust. We have to rebuild hope. We have to rebuild our sense of mutual responsibility to each other, so that never again will we see violence, arson,
looting, death – and such shame.”
