Villagers argue individual rights are weakening customary authority

Tovulailai villagers in Narai, Lomaiviti Province, are calling for certain individual rights under the 2013 Constitution to remain confined to urban areas.

They argue that the enforcement of these rights in rural communities is disrupting traditional village life and weakening customary authority.

Speaking during the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) consultations in Tovulailai Village yesterday, Matanitikina o Batiki representative Tevita Tavodi said the rights protected under the Constitution were more suitable for urban settings than village communities.

“These rights should stay in the cities and towns because life in the village is different,” Mr Tavodi said.

“In urban areas people live independently, but in the village we live together and follow customs that have guided us for generations.”

Mr Tavodi said the increasing emphasis on individual freedoms was creating tension within villages and making it difficult for traditional leaders to maintain order and unity.

“Today, when village leaders make decisions for the good of the community, some people use their constitutional rights to challenge those decisions,” he said.

“That was not the way we were raised. In the village we respect our chiefs, elders and the customs of the vanua.”

He said communal living in villages depends on cooperation, obedience and respect—values he believes are being eroded.

“If everyone starts thinking only about individual rights, then village unity will slowly disappear,” Mr Tavodi said.

“We are not against rights, but there should be recognition that rural communities have their own way of life that must also be protected.”

Villagers who attended the consultation supported the submission, saying the Constitution should better recognise traditional governance systems and cultural practices.

“One law cannot fit everyone,” another villager told the commission. “The village setting is different from life in the city, and our customs should not be overlooked.”

The commission is currently conducting consultations across the country to gather public views and recommendations on Fiji’s 2013 Constitution.