Rusieli Mua expressed her deep emotional distress during a public consultation in Lautoka regarding the draft legal framework for the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission. She posed a poignant question: “Who ordered them to be taken away and isolated on Nukulau Island?”
Her inquiry stemmed from the traumatic experience of her brother-in-law, Metuisela Mua, a former military officer and head of the now-disbanded Fiji Intelligence Services. He was taken and assaulted by soldiers in 2007 during the interim government of former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
Ms. Mua emphasized the need for closure for the families of victims who were subjected to questioning. She questioned the necessity of the violent measures taken against those individuals, asking, “Who ordered this and why was violence necessary for all of these men?” She highlighted that there could have been non-violent alternatives for their detention and demanded answers to her queries.
Ruben Carranza, a senior expert from the International Centre for Transitional Justice, praised Ms. Mua for voicing her concerns in an official context, suggesting that it reflects the government’s willingness to listen. He commended her bravery in addressing such a sensitive issue.
In March 2010, Mua and seven others received various prison sentences for plotting to assassinate Bainimarama and other senior officials in 2007. Metuisela Mua passed away two years ago.