A retired military officer offered a rare and emotional apology to victims of Fiji’s past political unrest during hearings of the nation’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission earlier this week, urging others involved to come forward and asking for forgiveness.
Retired Major Joseva Savua, a former officer of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, told the commission: “This time I just want to pass on to everybody who hears what I say, or if I ever did something wrong to anybody, I ask for their forgiveness.” He also publicly thanked the military for backing reconciliation, saying, “I also want to pass on my congratulations and a big vinaka vakalevu to the military establishment for initiating reconciliation. They have taken a lot of burden off our backs, and it is good.”
Savua’s testimony is the latest development in the TRC’s ongoing private hearings, which are receiving accounts from survivors in communities that have been heavily affected since the first coup in 1987. In a statement, the commission said many witnesses described “physical, emotional and financial harm, describing fear, loss and uncertainty that still linger today.” The TRC’s private sessions are intended to create a confidential space for survivors to recount harms and for those implicated to offer testimony and, where appropriate, apologies.
Survivors who have appeared in the hearings signalled a cautious openness to reconciliation but stressed it must be underpinned by tangible measures. Repeated points in testimony included the need for fairness and equal treatment for all communities, improved education about the causes and impacts of past events, sustained dialogue between affected groups, and meaningful compensation where harm was proven. Across multiple accounts, witnesses expressed a shared aspiration for peace, respect and a future free from old divisions.
Observers of the process say admissions like Savua’s can be important symbolic steps in a broader, often slow effort to address historical grievances. For many survivors, however, symbolism must be matched by policy and reparative action. Calls for compensation and educational initiatives reflect a demand that reconciliation go beyond apologies to include structural steps to rebuild trust and opportunities for those who suffered loss or marginalisation.
The TRC was set up to examine the legacy of decades of political instability and to recommend measures to promote reconciliation. Its hearings—both public and private—have in recent weeks renewed national attention on events from the late 1980s onwards, bringing long-suppressed stories back into public view and prompting debate about how best to balance truth-telling with accountability and restoration.
Savua concluded his appearance by urging others with knowledge of past harms to speak up: “Now, with this truth and reconciliation process going on, I hope that everyone will come forward and speak.” As the commission continues its work, the extent to which such personal reckonings translate into wider institutional or reparative changes will be a key determinant of whether the TRC can deliver durable reconciliation across Fiji’s divided communities.
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