Personnel dismissed after the military coup in 2000 may soon be allowed to rejoin the Republic of the Fiji Military Forces (RFMF). Commander Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai announced that the RFMF is contemplating this move as part of its reconciliation efforts.
He noted that during the 2000 coup, several young soldiers found themselves in unfortunate situations and ended up facing six to eight years of incarceration. The recent reconciliation discussions held in Vanua Levu addressed these concerns. Many of the affected individuals are still quite young, with some just over 40 years of age.
The focus now is on reintegrating those under the age of 55 into the RFMF, which Major Kalouniwai describes as a form of compensation for these individuals. Additionally, they are considering how to support families and loved ones who were impacted by the events of that time.
Major Kalouniwai reiterated the RFMF’s dedication to seeing the reconciliation process through to completion.