More than two decades after losing his father during Fiji's political unrest in 2000, Selestino Kalounivale has travelled from New Zealand to plead for the removal of constitutional immunity provisions, saying his family is still waiting for justice.
Kalounivale, who now lives in New Zealand with his family, made an emotional submission to the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution Amendment Bill.
He says he travelled to Fiji specifically to ensure the Committee understands the pain that families affected by the events of 2000 continue to carry.
Kalounivale says his father was a member of the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and lost his life during the unrest.
He recalls that his father joined the military straight after school, following the 1987 coup, and served in a unit whose members were trained to carry out their duties and follow orders.
He says his father and fellow soldiers were loyal to the military and believed they were serving their country.
Kalounivale also recounts being told about a church service in May 2000, where members of the unit heard the biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt.
He says the soldiers were asked who would become the Moses of their time, and his father and fellow soldiers answered that call.
However, Kalounivale says the events that followed left his family with a loss they continue to struggle with more than two decades later.
He says although his father is gone, the pain of losing him remains.
Kalounivale supports the proposed constitutional changes but strongly opposes retaining the immunity provisions under Chapter 14 of the 2013 Constitution.
He believes those responsible for past events should be investigated and that constitutional immunity should not prevent people from being held accountable.
Kalounivale also questions the fairness of a justice system that protects certain individuals from investigation over past events.
He says people who have not experienced the loss of a loved one during Fiji's political upheavals may not fully understand the suffering of affected families.
Kalounivale stresses that his family's calls for justice should not be ignored.
He pleaded with the Committee to remove the immunity provisions, saying the opportunity to make that appeal in person was the reason he travelled from New Zealand.
Kalounivale hopes the proposed constitutional changes will address the concerns of families like his who continue to seek accountability for what happened in the past.
