The recent release of George Speight, who led the coup in 2000, and former counter-revolutionary warfare unit member Shane Stevens from prison has sparked a variety of reactions throughout Fiji.
Akeneta Naseka Seavula, the widow of Corporal Filipo Seavula, a police officer killed during the coup-related violence, expressed her feelings about the event. Despite the tragedy that struck her family, 24 years later, she and her family choose to forgive Speight and the rebels involved.
“We are all human beings. God Almighty encourages us to forgive those who have wronged us,” she stated from her home in Nakasi, Nasinu. Corporal Seavula was shot while responding to a violent standoff at a Draiba checkpoint, where he and other police officers faced off against rebel forces who had overthrown the government led by Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.
Recalling that fateful day, Ms. Seavula shared her painful memories. “It was a Sunday, and we were living at the Nasese Police Barracks,” she recounted. Her husband had just left for duty when gunfire erupted in the area. “Everyone was told to take cover,” she remembered, adding that military trucks and sirens soon filled the streets. Tragically, an hour later, police arrived to inform her that her husband had been killed.
“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 noted, reflecting on her devastation as a mother of three young children at the time. “It was painful, but I’ll always be grateful for the support I had during that time.”
For Ms. Seavula, her Catholic faith has provided her with strength throughout her grief. She mentioned that the Holy Rosary has been her constant companion since 2000, helping her to find the resilience needed to raise her children. “Even though what Mr. Speight did was wrong, God teaches us to forgive. And I forgive Mr. Speight, my family does too,” she affirmed. “Holding onto resentment stops you from moving forward. After losing Filipo, I learned to trust in God’s plan.”
Now a grandmother of six, Ms. Seavula recognizes the enduring effects of the 2000 coup on many in Fiji. However, she advocates for forgiveness as a means to heal and rebuild the nation.
The death of Corporal Seavula on May 28, 2000, signified one of the darkest days in Fiji’s history. On that same day, rebels attacked Fiji Television Limited, and Prime Minister Chaudhry, along with members of the Labour government, were taken hostage at the Parliament complex for a total of 56 days.