"Man Up" and Stop Hitting Women: Rabuka

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has issued a blunt and emotional appeal to Fijian men in the wake of a horrific weekend that left three women dead in separate incidents of domestic violence.

"I can only urge the men of Fiji to be a man," Mr Rabuka said.

"Man up, and face your responsibilities as carers and defenders of your families. Real man do not hit woman," the Prime Minister said in an interview.

Mr Rabuka described the recent surge in violence as a painful reminder of the deep-rooted social crisis Fiji continues to face despite years of advocacy, laws, and community programs.

“They are very bad indications of the realities in society. That is how the men in Fiji are still feeling,” he said.

“All the teachings, all the punishments, and the programmes that have gone towards the promotion of harmonious coexistence in the families, have not really been successful.

“We need to keep going at it and involve all stakeholders. A lot of these things have been put on Government.”

His comments came just days after a series of gruesome incidents shocked the country.

At Suva’s Lagilagi Housing, police discovered the bodies of Sainimere Tuinasakea, a civil servant, and her partner Paula Kafoa in what is believed to be a murder-suicide.

“It was terrifying. We heard children crying and screaming… then the police brought out her body in a bag. It is something I will never forget,” said neighbour Lili Duwai.

Mr Rabuka, who had recently inaugurated the Lagilagi Housing project, expressed sorrow over the incident.

“I was very sad about the one in the new housing estate, because I just opened that. Everybody looked happy when we opened it. It was an era of new hope. Unfortunately, it had deteriorated to this, for one family,” he said.

In Nadi, 28-year-old Karishma Chaudhry, a mother of four pregnant with her fifth child, was found stabbed to death. Her partner, a 47-year-old taxi driver, has been arrested.

“She was my pillar, my eldest child,” said her grieving mother, Nileshma Singh.

“She was carrying another baby. Now, they are both gone.”

Three of Chaudhry’s children are believed to have witnessed the attack.

In another Suva incident, a woman was found seriously injured outside an apartment complex and rushed to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed that arrests had been made, and investigations were ongoing.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran described the violence as a national emergency.

“Despite laws, funding, and services, these tragedies still happen. We must stop violence at the family and community level before it turns deadly,” she said.

The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre also released a powerful statement.

Director Shamima Ali said: “These deaths were preventable. We must stop making excuses. Enough is enough.” 

Domestic violence remains a pervasive and deeply concerning issue in Fiji, with recent statistics highlighting both its prevalence and persistence over the years.

In 2022, the FWCC recorded 522 cases of domestic violence, a significant increase from 212 cases in 2021.

In August 2024 alone, the Fiji Police Force reported 184 cases of crimes against women, with 41 per cent being domestic-related incidents involving spouses or partners.

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