GCC Review Team Gets Request For Probe Into 'Lost Tribe'

A tribe in Nadi has written to the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) Review Team re­questing a review of land owner­ship laws and the displacement of some iTaukei tribes. The letter was handed to the team two weeks ago by Rusiate Waqa, the representative of Yavusa o Vucunisai in Nadi.

He stated that they support the re­turn of the GCC.

Mr Waqa said that their letter con­tained their history and their plea to the GCC to look into the displace­ment of their tribe from the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB).

He explained that during the colo­nial era, their tribe was conquered, and their forefathers were driven out of their land.

As a result, all their land was sold, and they were not part of the tribu­nal in the 1881 Land Title Commis­sion -Williamson.

Victor A. Williamson, a barrister, was chairman of the then Lands Commission in Fiji in 1876.

The letter also stated that in 1995/96 Wilkinson, their voices were not heard, and they were ne­glected by the Native Land Commis­sion - Maxwell.

Fiji Museum reports David Wilkinson was secretary and ad­visor to Tui Bua from 1864-1874, under-secretary for Native Affairs of the Confederation of North and East Fiji and later chief interpreter, native commissioner and commis­sioner of Native Lands of the Colo­nial Administration.

Gerald Verner Maxwell was chair­man of Native Lands Commission in 1912.

Mr Waqa claimed that from 1912 to 1915, they had been displaced from the VKB until today.

“We, the Yavusa (tribe) o Vucuni­sai of Nadi, now have been regis­tered under the Yatu Malolo/Ya­sawa. Our place of origin or Yavutu is in Nadi, which is officially regis­tered as State land.”

He said the letter contained part of the Governor Devoux Final Report in 42 which stated that even though a tribe might be conquered or re­moved from the land by their con­queror tribe, the title of their land is still theirs.

“If we do not exist then our title may be held in abeyance (suspend­ed), but it cannot be destroyed. That means our rights to our land that was sold during that time by the conqueror, still exist today.”

“If there is an establishment of GCC, please think of us, the driven and unrecognised tribe.

“We are suggesting that Clause 4 of the Deed of Cession be wiped away, so that we can take back our land that was sold perpetually until today.

“I believe what I have revealed may be new, but it is our history, our identity that we have been known for until today,” he said.

GCC Review Team member Dr Eci Nabalarua said they would relook at the history and the agenda of the past GCC members and the changes that have been made.

“It is important to know the his­tory and know where we are today and what we have planned for the future. Consultations were done through interviews. Some submit their suggestions through writings and we accept them.

“We will collect all submissions and review them.”

Team leader Dr Jone Bale­drokadroka acknowledged the participants for their submission and assured them it all has been re­corded.

“We will review all submissions and take them to the minister and the Cabinet,” he said.

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Story By: mereleki.nai@fijisun.com.fj