The NGO Coalition on Human Rights (NGOCHR) has expressed serious concerns regarding the ongoing processes and outcomes of Fiji’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The organization warns that the current structure of the TRC may ultimately deny justice to victims of historical human rights abuses.
Shamima Ali, Chair of NGOCHR, criticized the TRC Act for treating all parties as “survivors,” including individuals who have committed human rights violations. She argues that this approach blurs the crucial distinction between true victims—those who have suffered grievously—and perpetrators who have engaged in violent acts such as intimidation, assault, torture, and rape.
Ali stated, “While restorative justice is important, equating perpetrators with victims erases historical truth, dilutes responsibility, and denies victims the recognition and justice they rightfully deserve.” This sentiment reflects the growing apprehension about how the TRC’s format could compromise its mission of delivering justice and recognition.
Recent hearings, notably involving Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, have further underscored the shortcomings of the TRC. Ali warned that the focus on healing risks transforming these hearings into mere symbolic gestures rather than authentic truth-seeking efforts. She highlighted the troubling reality that constitutional immunities shield those responsible for abuses linked to past coups, leaving victims without recourse, and some perpetrators continuing to occupy senior societal positions.
Ali emphasized the emotional toll this impunity takes on victims — women, young people, and members of rural communities who have endured sexual violence, humiliation, and forced detention. She remarked, “This ongoing impunity is retraumatizing and signals that the state does not recognize the severity of their suffering.”
In light of these challenges, NGOCHR is urging the government to leverage existing criminal justice mechanisms to investigate and prosecute serious crimes associated with the coups. The organization insists that these offenses should not be protected under the TRC process or constitutional immunities. Furthermore, they are calling for urgent reforms to amend or repeal laws that grant blanket immunity to those involved in coup-related crimes.
NGOCHR warns that if the TRC continues in its current form, it may serve political interests at the expense of genuine national reform and healing. Ali concluded with a compelling reminder that a true reconciliation process requires a foundation built on truth, accountability, and justice, rather than mere ceremonial acts.
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