The recent release of George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, and Shane Stevens, a former member of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, has sparked a diverse range of reactions across Fiji.
One individual particularly affected by these events is Akeneta Naseka Seavula, the widow of Corporal Filipo Seavula, a police officer who was killed by rebels during the turmoil of 2000 at a Draiba checkpoint. Despite the deep personal loss she endured, Ms. Seavula has chosen to forgive Speight and the rebels after 24 years.
“Everyone is human. God encourages us to forgive those who have wronged us,” she expressed from her home in Nakasi, Nasinu. Corporal Seavula lost his life during a confrontation when rebels attacked the Fiji Labour Party-led government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.
Recalling that fateful day, Ms. Seavula gave a heart-wrenching account. “It was a Sunday, and we lived at the Nasese Police Barracks,” she said, explaining how her husband had just left for duty when the gunfire began nearby. “Everyone was told to take cover,” she reminisced. Later, military trucks and sirens filled the area, marking a chaotic scene.
Tragically, she received the news of her husband’s death an hour later from police officers. “I was in shock. I didn’t cry until I saw my son Viliame coming down the stairs. That’s when it hit me, and I broke down,” she recalled, grappling with the loss while caring for their three young children.
Ms. Seavula has found solace in her faith as a practicing Catholic, stating that her religious convictions have guided her through this tumultuous journey. She has maintained a devotional practice, using the Holy Rosary since 2000, which she believes has helped her raise her children despite the difficulties. “God teaches us to forgive, and I forgive Mr. Speight, as does my family,” she stated.
As a grandmother of six now, Ms. Seavula acknowledges the lasting wounds from the 2000 coup on the nation but advocates for forgiveness as a pathway to collective healing and reconstruction.
The tragic day of Corporal Seavula’s death on May 28, 2000, stands as one of the darkest chapters in Fiji’s history. That same day, rebels seized Fiji Television Limited and held Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and other members of the Labour government hostage in the Parliament complex for 56 days.