The NGO Coalition on Human Rights (NGOCHR) has expressed serious concerns regarding the ongoing processes and results from Fiji’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The organization warns that the commission’s current structure may ultimately deny justice to victims of past human rights violations.
Shamima Ali, the Chair of NGOCHR, criticized the TRC Act for categorizing all individuals involved, including those who committed human rights abuses, as “survivors.” She emphasized that this classification blurs the critical distinction between victims, who have endured significant harm, and perpetrators, who have inflicted violence and intimidation, including acts of torture and rape.
Ali asserted that while restorative justice is essential, equating victims with their abusers undermines historical truth and dilutes accountability, robbing victims of the recognition and justice that they deserve.
The recent hearing that involved Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka further exposed the flaws in the TRC’s current framework. According to Ali, focusing solely on healing could trivialize the hearings, reducing them to procedural exercises rather than meaningful truth-seeking efforts.
She also highlighted the constitutional immunities that shelter those responsible for abuses related to past coups, stating that perpetrators could confess to heinous acts without fear of prosecution. This situation leaves victims without recourse to justice, allowing some of the abusers even to occupy senior positions in society.
For many victims—especially women, young people, and marginalized community members—this ongoing impunity is not only distressing but also re-traumatizing, signaling that their suffering is unrecognized by the state.
In response to these challenges, NGOCHR is urging the government to utilize existing criminal justice systems to thoroughly investigate and prosecute serious offenses committed during the coups. The organization insists that such crimes should not be protected by the TRC process or existing immunities. Furthermore, it calls for urgent reforms to amend or eliminate legal provisions granting blanket immunity to perpetrators of these coups.
With its current setup, the TRC risks being manipulated for political advantage rather than serving as a platform for genuine national healing. Ali concluded by stating that a true path to reconciliation must prioritize truth, accountability, and justice, rather than mere ceremonial gestures.
In light of these pressing matters, a collective effort for reform and accountability could lay a stronger foundation for healing and ensure that victims’ experiences are duly acknowledged and addressed.