Kumar warns Constitution amendment could divide Fiji along religious lines

A Nadi businessman has urged the committee reviewing Constitution Amendment Bill 32 to reconsider provisions he believes could divide Fiji along religious lines.

Speaking at a consultation yesterday, Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Lawrence Kumar said Fiji’s secular status should be maintained to ensure people of all religions were treated equally.

He said the proposed constitutional changes appeared to give Christianity a special place despite provisions establishing Fiji as a secular state.

“I am a Christian by faith as well. I am a Methodist from the Indian ethnic division. However, it does not give me the right to have my own religion given that paramountcy over time,” he said.

Mr Kumar said Fiji had already experienced divisions along ethnic lines and warned that constitutional recognition of religion could deepen those divisions.

“Once the 2026 Constitution is going to be in place, we'll continue to divide this country not only on ethnic lines, but on religious lines,” he said.

“We'll have Christianity, we'll have Hinduism, we'll have Islam, we'll have Sikhism.

“The question that I have is, where will all this stop? What sort of precedent are we setting for our future generation?”

Mr Kumar said he did not believe such an approach would set a positive example for future generations.

He warned that children could grow up identifying primarily with people of their own religion rather than building relationships across religious communities.

Recalling his school days, Mr Kumar said he attended Mt St Mary's School and Swami Vivekananda College.

“I shared roti, I shared bread, I shared cassava with my fellow iTaukei brothers and sisters,” he said.

“We sat at a table and shared that. But if this particular provision in the Constitution comes into play, I don't think that would ever be there in the future.”

Mr Kumar urged committee members to revisit the proposed provision and ensure Fiji remained a secular state.

“Ensure that everyone has the right to practise whatever religion they have, and everyone is treated equally under the Constitution,” he said.

He also referred to Christian teachings on equality, questioning why the Constitution should move away from that principle.

“Remember, even our Christian religion says we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. If the Bible says we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord, why are we changing that in the Constitution?” he said.

Mr Kumar reiterated his call for the committee to reconsider the proposed amendment and maintain equal treatment for people of all faiths.