Truth and Reconciliation Commission Bill passed in Parliament

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Bill has been passed in Parliament last night after it received 30 votes for and 15 votes against by members of Parliament.

The Bill was brought in Parliament under Parliamentary Standing Order 51 by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka which seeks to establish the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission in order to facilitate open and free dialogue and to provide a forum to address historical grievances and promote national unity and reconciliation in Fiji.

The Bill was moved to be voted on after some members of Parliament opposed the Bill.

While tabling the Bill, Rabuka says consultations were made by the committee with victims and perpetrators of different political events when the Bill was being drafted.

Rabuka says consultations were also held with civil society, faith-based groups, human rights activists, media organisations, political parties, and communities in the North, West and Central divisions.

The Prime Minister also acknowledged the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Ro Jone Kalouniwai for leading the inculcating of the virtues of Truth, Reconciliation and Healing in the institution.

Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee Sashi Kiran says the Bill provides the opportunity for the whole of Fiji to be the of hope, healing, and truly the way the world should be. Kiran says they have been receiving various positive responses from the general public including the various faith-based organizations that echo the same sentiments that there is a need for a space for healing.

She says that some ask for truth and many ask for healing, given their painful narratives of the past. Kiran says no past coups could be justified as emotions used in these political events try to divide our people into ethnic lines and dehumanize each other.

Leader of Opposition Group 9 Iowane Naivalurua says he supports the Bill because it contains immense gravity and opportunity, and while we cannot rewrite our history, we can reconcile, heal and learn from the past.

He says the bill provides the framework for action establishing the commission to achieve the reconciliation healing and learning essential to our future.

He adds the scope of the Bill is a serious task and a heavy burden, hence the two issues place high demand on the leadership capacity of the commissioners with their presence and needed across multiple hearings and proceedings in the Bill.

While opposing the Bill, the Opposition Group of 16 raised concerns about it and said the Bill gives no teeth to the Commission.

Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu says this exercise must be approached with a genuine desire to uncover truths and promote reconciliation and forgiveness amongst perpetrators, and victims who have suffered gross human rights violations at the height of our political upheavals.

He says there were some things omitted from the drafted Bill that was presented to them on the 5th of September and he questions the members of Parliament as to who did the changes.

Seruiratu claims that the root cause of the problems that have occurred in the country is political.