Rabuka's regret is not enough to fix Fiji - Sayed-Khaiyum

Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says 1987 coup leader, Sitiveni Rabuka’s regret for this nation is not enough as his regret has not fixed Fiji.

While speaking in parliament on the 139th anniversary of the arrival of the first group of Girmityas and 31 years since Rabuka’s military coup today, Sayed-Khaiyum said Rabuka still does not believe in common and equal citizenry and takes the issue with all of us being treated on a level playing field and all of us being called Fijian.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Rabuka still fails to see the strength in our unity and is blind to our progress which includes 9 years of consecutive growth.

The Acting Prime Minister says Rabuka’s actions on May 14th, 1987 led tens of thousands of Fijians to flee our shores because they as descendants of the Girmitiyas were made to feel unwelcome like strangers in their home and in their own country.

Sayed-Khaiyum says all Fijians want to be free of Rabuka’s old style of politics, free of the shackles Rabuka placed on our nation when he tried to turn Fijian against Fijian, free from the bigotry, free from the fear mongering and free from the old politics of division, discrimination and destruction.

The Acting Prime Minister says Rabuka claims in his books that he spoke to God. Sayed-Khaiyum says God does not tell you to oppress the weak and bring about injustices.

He also says that we are still paying for Rabuka’s mistakes quite literally as the collapse of the National Bank of Fiji has resulted in an inter generational debt that Fijians are still paying for today.

Sayed-Khaiyum stresses that a united and equal Fiji is a very strong Fiji.

While responding to Sayed-Khaiyum’s ministerial statement, Opposition Leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa said that she did not want to go into coups as she said that her primary school teachers had told her that people living in glass houses should not throw stones and when you are pointing one finger, four fingers are pointing to you.

Ro Teimumu says they are going slowly with their progress after the naming of the girmit descendants as the Luvedra Na Ratu.

In his response NFP Leader, Professor Biman Prasad said that the travel ban on Professor Brij Lal should be lifted. He also believes that this is all about going for the Indo Fijian votes.

Earlier Today

Today marks 31 years since the first coup in Fiji and the leader of the 1987 military coup, Sitiveni Rabuka says he is moving forward and leaving the past behind.

However the SODELPA Leader says he knows that Fiji will continue to have racial politics as the needs of the communities differ.

Speaking to Fijivillage, Rabuka says a lot of lessons have been learnt from the coups in 1987, 2000 and 2006.

He says although communal voting is not part of the current electoral system, the people know that they have different needs and interests.

Rabuka stresses that people should not make a mistake and say that this is racist policies.

When asked on whether Rabuka believes that everyone has forgiven him for the 1987 military coups as he has made a national apology and has also asked for forgiveness in various traditional forgiveness ceremonies, Rabuka says he is moving forward.

He also says that he is moving forward as he had earlier said that he was the main person behind the 1987 military coup and people should not listen to others who may say that someone else was behind the first coup in Fiji.