FTRC yet to reach North, maritime islands — Naqiolevu

The Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission has yet to reach the Northern Division and Fiji’s maritime islands, with less than a year left to complete its national mandate.

FTRC Commissioner Sekove Naqiolevu highlighted this on Friday at the National Commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at the Suva Civic Centre.

“We’ve already covered a certain part of the country. We still have to cover the northern part of Fiji and indeed the maritime islands,” Mr Naqiolevu said.

He said the Commission, made up of five commissioners and fewer than 30 staff, was racing against the clock to hear from survivors across the country before presenting its final report to the President.

“We’ve only got less than a year to complete our task and present our report to His Excellency the President with our recommendations,” Mr Naqiolevu said.

The FTRC was established under the FTRC Act 2024 to look into the suffering caused by Fiji’s political coups of 1987, 2000, and 2006. It gives survivors a chance to tell their stories and helps shape recommendations for healing and reconciliation — so the nation can move forward.

Mr Naqiolevu said the testimonies gathered so far had been sobering.

“From the survivors and stories that have been told to us in some of these spots all over Fiji, we’ve suffered greatly during the upheaval of 87, 2000, and 2006,” he said.

He called on communities not yet visited to prepare to engage with the process, adding that the Commission could not complete its work without the participation of people across the country.