The Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission (FTRC) is set to appoint a neutral overseas expert as its chairperson, while selecting committee members based on their non-political affiliations. Sashi Kiran, chair of the FTRC steering committee, discussed this strategy in response to questions about maintaining impartiality in assessing public interest cases.
Currently, the steering committee is conducting public consultations throughout the nation to gather input for a draft bill intended for parliamentary approval. Kiran stated that the proposed draft bill includes the appointment of an independent chairperson from abroad, emphasizing the commission’s aim to function autonomously with decisions being made internally without external influence.
At a public consultation held in Labasa, attendees raised concerns that appointing a local chair could introduce potential bias in handling specific cases. To mitigate these worries, some participants recommended selecting a candidate of high caliber, such as Transitional Justice expert Ruben Carranza, for the chairperson role.
Fiji Labour Party politician Surendra Lal and other participants stressed the importance of having highly skilled members in the commission. Kiran acknowledged these suggestions, noting that alongside the chairperson, the four local committee members (commissioners) must also have no political ties. She stated, “This will be implemented so that people trust the process of fairness and transparency.”
The appointment of the commission’s leaders will be approved by the President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere. According to the draft proposal, the commission is expected to operate for 18 months, with Ratu Wiliame having the authority to decide on any extensions.
Additionally, special staff, including translators, counselors, and support personnel, will be hired. Kiran indicated that these staff members will visit various locations across the country to facilitate reconciliation efforts and gather cases and opinions.
The commission will focus on addressing issues of abuse and violence tied to past events that have affected certain segments of the population, including the repercussions of the 1987 and 2000 coups, during which the Indo-Fijian community experienced significant property damage, violence, and mistreatment. Senior expert Ruben Carranza from the International Centre for Transitional Justice in New York, noted that the commission aims to resolve these historical grievances and work towards preventing future occurrences.