Troops ready to enter Tonga

AUSTRALIAN troops were preparing last night to enter Tonga, following bloody riots in the country's capital that claimed at least eight lives and left the central business district in ruins.

AUSTRALIAN troops were preparing last night to enter Tonga, following bloody riots in the country's capital that claimed at least eight lives and left the central business district in ruins.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said that between 60 and 120 Australian police and troops were on standby to travel to the southwest Pacific nation, and would probably be deployed if the unrest in Tonga worsened.

Hundreds of pro-democracy campaigners rampaged through Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, on Thursday, burning buildings and looting shops.

Eight bodies were found in the ruins of two burnt-out buildings.

Tonga declared a state of emergency last night, authorising police and troops to "use such force as may be reasonably necessary to preserve public order".

The military will be able to impose curfews and ban meetings of more than five people.

An initial report from Australia's high commission in Tonga said 80 per cent of the central business district of Nuku'alofa had been destroyed.

Mr Downer said New Zealand troops were also being mobilised last night.

"New Zealand, of course, has very strong ties with Tonga, and New Zealand would take the lead, rather than Australia, in terms of any response. But we are certainly prepared to provide resources," he said.

"That is, we would be prepared to provide some police and some military personnel to reinforce the efforts of New Zealand."

Tonga had not formally requested assistance last night, despite the nation's 400-strong defence force being stretched.

"At the moment, the Tongan Defence Force is assisting the police in patrolling the streets and it may very well be that is adequate," Mr Downer said.

"And obviously it is preferable that they look after the law-and-order situation in their country themselves. But speaking from experience, you just never know, and we therefore remain prepared to help if we are needed."

Although Mr Downer said any troop deployment to Tonga would be small, the federal Opposition said the situation further exposed the Howard Government's "revolving-door policy of short-term reactions".

"We need a regional focus on capacity building to ensure our regional neighbours have the capacity to maintain law and order," Labor defence spokesman Robert McClelland said.

"Australia's continuing involvement in Iraq is a distraction from what should be part of Australia's main security game: nation-building in our arc of instability.

"At this time of instability, support for police to establish law and order is not unreasonable, but suggestions of military intervention would be counter-productive."

If Australian troops are deployed in the coming days, it is likely they would be diverted from their mission in Fiji.

A Defence spokeswoman said three ships - HMAS Success, HMAS Kanimbla and HMAS Newcastle - were sailing in the southwest Pacific.

The ships, carrying several hundred troops, departed Australia earlier this month when it appeared the Fijian military would stage a coup against the Government.

Had that occurred and the security situation deteriorated, the troops would have helped evacuate Australian and other nationals.

Success and Kanimbla are transport ships equipped with armed helicopters, while Newcastle is a frigate.

"We are in close consultation with other government agencies with regard to the situation in Tonga," the Defence spokeswoman said.

"Prudent planning is taking place to ensure we are positioned to assist, if requested by the Australian Government."

The Department of Foreign Affairs has upgraded its travel alert for Tonga in response to reports of politically motivated violence in the Pacific nation.

"Several buildings and shops have been set on fire," the new advice reads, which takes the alert to the second-lowest level on a scale of five.

"You should avoid large public gatherings and protests because of the risk of disturbances arising from demonstrations about political change."