Assistant Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Sakiusa Tubuna, highlighted that the primary objective of the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is to foster healing, reconciliation, forgiveness, and trust to enhance social cohesion and unity across the nation.
The TRC, led by Assistant Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, along with committee member Tubuna, held consultations with political parties in Suva yesterday.
Approved by Cabinet, the committee is tasked with overseeing the establishment of the legal framework for the TRC. Tubuna emphasized that the core purpose of the TRC’s formation is to assist victims in finding healing and closure through genuine reconciliation with their perpetrators.
Kiran indicated that the initiative aims to heal past wounds, provide closure, and offer answers to ensure that future generations do not repeat previous mistakes. She noted that the discussions with various stakeholders reveal differing traumas and conflicts, emphasizing the complexity of the issues at hand.
Key concerns raised during the consultations included legal definitions within the draft framework and the necessity for fair definitions to guarantee justice and accountability. Questions regarding the credibility of the TRC process in building trust and ensuring transparency were also addressed. Participants discussed the importance of the Commission’s independence from the government to allow it to fulfill its mandate impartially, ensuring that all voices are heard and justice is pursued equitably.
Additionally, senior members of media organizations participated in a consultation on the draft legal framework for the Commission, contributing their insights on its provisions.