A lot has been said and done since that day when the democratically elected government led by the late Doctor Timoci Bavadra was overthrown by Rabuka and his men.
We have a national reconciliation process still underway led by the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission and we have a Constitution Review Commission going around the country gathering submissions on what people want in a new amended Constitution.
We have had four coups in the country - 2 in 1987, 1 led by George Speight in 2000 and 1 led by Voreqe Bainimarama in 2006.
We have 4 constitutions as well - 1 in 1970 after independence, 1 in 1990 after the 1987 military coup, 1 in 1997 and 1 in 2013 after the 2006 military coup.
As we mark this day 39 years ago, Rabuka has apologised in a Reconciliation Service on May 14th 2023, saying that he makes the confession on behalf of everyone who took part with him in the 1987 military coup.
He said they confess their wrongdoings and confess that they have hurt so many of our people in Fiji particularly those of the Indo Fijian community at the time and among them, sons and daughters, grandsons and grand-daughters of those that were indentured as labourers from India between 1879 and 1916.
Insert : Rabuka on 1987 confession
Rabuka asked for forgiveness from everyone.
In November last year, Rabuka appeared before the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission, saying he is confessing that what happened in 1987 was wrong.
Rabuka said it is up to the people to heal and people to decide on whether they accept or continue to carry the offence done against them.
Questions were again raised in 2022 on what came out for the first time in 2000 when Rabuka released his biography ‘Rabuka of Fiji’ in which he had alleged that he had mentioned the 1987 coup option to the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara during golf two weeks before the coup, and believed he had the tacit support of the late Ratu Mara.
Rabuka had said in February 2022 that he does not have to apologise to the traditional warrior clan for the late Tui Nayau as the late former President and chief never asked him to do that when the information first came out in his authorised biography.
The late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara had taken legal action over the book's claim that Rabuka told him of a possible military coup to overthrow the late Dr Timoci Bavadra's coalition Government in May 1987.
When asked on the legal action, Rabuka says he believes the late Ratu Mara’s lawyers advised Ratu Mara to desist.
Speaking to fijivillage News on May 14th 2021, the late Professor Tupeni Baba who was part of the then Doctor Timoci Bavadra led government said it is unfortunate that the 1987 coup occurred, as it also started off the culture of coups.
He said taking the government out with force and dividing the races with a barrel of the gun will never bring anything good.
Insert : Prof. Baba on unfortunate event May 14th 2021
Professor Baba had said he could never forget what happened on that day.
Insert : Prof. Baba on that day
He said he had also challenged Rabuka on that day, but then listened to the late Doctor Bavadra.
Insert : Prof. Baba on challenging Rabuka
In an exclusive interview with fijivillage News on 21st March 2024, the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai said 1987 was an epoch moment (or a period of time in history) for the RFMF and Fiji because the decisions that were made by the RFMF leadership did not only have the impact on the RFMF but the nation as a whole.
He said it was the beginning of that continuous involvement of the RFMF in government and the political environment within Fiji.
Major General Kalouniwai said when you come down to the 2000 coup, again that is an outcome of what happened in 1987, and then again in the 2006 coup.
The Army Commander said the issues are interwoven and complex, and there are political, economic, social, legal, security and traditional issues.
He added this makes it a lot more complex when it comes to command responsibility.
Major General Kalouniwai said he hopes the RFMF's reconciliation process will encourage the nation that we need to reconcile with what has happened in the past.
He said he has always told the troops that the RFMF has it's own values, ethos, principles and standards.
The Commander said every soldier coming in is coming with their own imperfections and it is the responsibility of the institution to ensure that they understand the RFMF's culture.
Major General Kalouniwai said when the culture took a new turn since 1987, it had it's impacts as it was deviating from the traditional path of the RFMF.
He said the lines had gone so blurred that at times, people in the RFMF did not understand their role.
The Commander also said the constitutional provision which states that it shall be the overall responsibility of the RFMF to ensure at all times the security, defence and well-being of Fiji and all Fijians, needs to be clearly understood and to ensure the actions are done within the rule of law.
