Senior lawyer Graham Leung told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Thursday that Fiji’s series of coups over the past three decades tested his resilience and left him awed by the determination of ordinary citizens who picked up the pieces and carried on. Speaking as part of the Commission’s public hearings, Leung described the era as a “rollercoaster” of political upheaval and uncertainty that shaped his decision to come forward.
“The coups tested my resilience in a way that I could never have imagined,” he told commissioners, adding that he remained struck by the quiet strength he saw around him. “Looking back over the last 30 years I am amazed that I survived the rollercoaster. Even more surprising for me was the people of Fiji, who did their best to carry on and to pick up the pieces,” he said.
Leung said his appearance before the Commission was motivated by a sense of duty to ensure the country’s recent history is recorded accurately for future generations. “It’s important for the future, for posterity, for Fiji to keep an historical record of the coups so that the next generation learn what happened, what we did wrong, so they don’t repeat the mistakes we made,” he said. He added that by sharing his personal account he hoped to prevent those experiences being “lost forever” and to leave material for historians to interpret.
Turning to the Commission’s core aim of reconciliation, Leung emphasised that the process cannot be reduced to legal instruments or political edicts. “For me reconciliation is a deeply personal process. It is not only about looking back and forgiving someone who has hurt or wronged you,” he said, warning that reconciliation “is not something that can be forced or imposed on anyone by Parliament passing a law. It must come from the heart and be volunteered.”
Forgiveness, Leung told the Commission, is central to any genuine reconciliation. “My own view is that forgiveness is an integral part of reconciliation. How can you reconcile with someone if you still hate them and have unforgiveness in your heart?” he asked, framing reconciliation as both an ethical act and a social necessity for national healing.
Leung’s testimony is the latest contribution to the Commission’s work to assemble first‑hand accounts from across Fiji about the impact of the coups and the path toward reconciliation. As a senior legal figure, his reflections on resilience, historical record‑keeping and the limits of legislated remedies add a professional and personal perspective to the public inquiry. The Commission continues to hear witnesses whose experiences will shape its final findings and recommendations on how Fiji can address past harms and strengthen social cohesion.
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