National reconciliation must be genuine – Chaudhry

The Fiji Labour Party says it is all for national reconciliation but it must be genuine and we must ensure that it does not undermine the basic tenets of democracy and the rule of law.

Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry highlighted this during the consultation meeting to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Chaudhry says the entire process, from the appointment of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee to the submission of its report to the President, must be conducted in a transparent, independent, inclusive and credible manner.

He says the focus should be on establishing the truth behind the political upheavals and coups of 1987, 2000 and 2006 and delivering justice to its victims.

The Fiji Labour Party Leader says the governing law must provide appropriate measures for the payment of compensation to them as there can’t be genuine reconciliation without justice.

He says coups had taken a heavy toll on Fiji's development, pushing the country behind by some three decades, causing immense pain and suffering to thousands of families, completely displacing or separating them from each other.

Chaudhry says we are not looking for a diplomatic but a practical outcome that will provide a sustainable pathway to better race relations engendering trust, understanding and respect for each other as equal citizens.

He also questioned if the draft Bill will be made available to all political parties and the public to enable them to make informed submissions on the issue.

Chaudhry also stressed that every effort must be made to complete the entire process well before the next general elections rather than prolonging it beyond this government's remaining tenure of office.

The meeting was called by the Chair of the Steering Committee and Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran to brief political parties on a draft Bill for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.