People are passing their trauma to the next generation, and you can see it – Kiran

Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran says as people have been traumatised, they pass it down to the next generation, and you can see it in the social fabric of society right now.

Kiran highlighted this at Saint Agnes Parish Nabua saying she has been asked by people why are they bringing up these issues as the first coup was like 40 years ago, in regards to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

She says there is raw emotion and raw feelings, and it is important to start working at creating awareness on trauma, how has post-traumatic stress helped, worked on people, and what sort of things have happened since.

The Assistant Minister says it is very obvious that people have been casting the trauma down for generations.

Kiran says she is grateful that Father Sigarara has launched the program in his own parish, as they start in other parts of the country.

She is hoping that more people and institutions will begin the conversation internally, because it is still so raw.

The Assistant Minister says as we start talking and healing and start documenting, helping us articulate, then it will be easier for them to come before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

She says as a society, our tolerance rate has really increased for things that we have seen.

Father Ioane Sigarara says the whole thing is really addressing the unsaid traumas.

He say we need to give the safe spaces where people are able to address this, so that even when they do want to go and sit at the table of reconciliation, it does not become a blaming game and all the energy goes into venting.

Father Sigarara says this is what they are trying to do to help people process a lot of these things in a very safe way, through a process that is guided, where they can identify with other survivors and in that find strength and journey towards healing and recovery.

He says that is where much of his work will be at.

Father Sigarara says it's important to have the support of family and they began their first of a series of two-day workshops today.

He says if there are people who really need to process the grief and pain, they can also have closed sessions, where they can tell their story in a safer space.