Photos by Linny Folau and Pesi Fonua

Nuku'alofa witnessed Tonga's biggest protest march ever at mid-day today, when thousands of demonstrators led by Members of Parliament marched through the centre of the capital to the Royal Palace, singing hymns and waving banners protesting against the Shoreline company's control of the Tongan power supply.

The marchers passed the headquarters of the Shoreline Group, owned by the Crown Prince Tupouto'a and his two business partners, the Ramanlal brothers, nicknamed the "Indian Princes" by the demonstrators, whose numbers had swelled to about 4,000 by the time they gathered on the Mala'e Pangai, next to the Royal Palace

The march was organised by the "Demo" People's Representatives to the Tongan Parliament, 'Akilisi Pohiva, 'Uliti Uata, 'Isileli Pulu, Sunia Fili, Fineasi Funaki and Lepolo Taunisila, and was joined by Tonga's Catholic Bishop S. Foliaki.

The driving force behind the march was discontent by the public over the high cost of electricity at 56 seniti per unit, and followed revelations by a former employee of Shoreline of the huge salaries of the executives of Shoreline, a company that has monopoly control of the power utility.

Even though the glaring message from the marchers was for generation of electricity to be returned from Shoreline to government, but the numerous banners which were carried by protesters showed a number of other issues that the demonstrators were not happy about. Some banners called for democracy and others protested about the "selfish leaders", while others simply asked the leaders to "listen to our pleas".

The marchers gathered at the Mala'e Pangai next to the Palace Office, where under a huge tent they were welcomed by Matapule Uhi. The Royal Chaplain Dr 'Alifeleti Mone said a prayer before some of the People's Representatives to the Tongan Parliament, 'Uliti Uata, Lepolo Taunisila, 'Isileli Pulu, Sunia Fili, Fineasi Funake and the President of the Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement, Rev. Simote Vea, read out parts of a letter of petition that 'Akilisi Pohiva presented to the Private Secretary of the King, Noble Ma'afu.

The marchers were peaceful and dispersed later in the afternoon.

The march followed the opening of the 2005 session of the Tongan parliament by Tonga's 86-year-old King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV .

Meanwhile, following the demonstration, the Noble's Representatives to Parliament, have reacted with expressions of anger when they realised that the petition as read by Rev. Simote Vea to the crowd, was not only a protest against Shoreline but also contained a clause calling for the king "to surrender power to the people", and "to become a ceremonial figurehead".