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’ Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit, has sparked mixed emotions among the people of Fiji.
One individual deeply affected is Akeneta Naseka Seavula, the widow of Corporal Filipo Seavula, a police officer who was fatally shot by rebels at a Draiba checkpoint during the tumultuous events of 2000. Remarkably, despite the tragedy that befell her family, Ms. Seavula has expressed forgiveness towards Speight and the rebels.
“We are all human beings. God Almighty encourages us to forgive those who have wronged us,” she said from her home in Nakasi, Nasinu. Corporal Seavula lost his life while bravely standing against the rebels who had overthrown the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.
Reflecting on that heart-wrenching day, Ms. Seavula recalled the chaos that ensued. “It was a Sunday, and we were living at the Nasese Police Barracks,” she recounted. Just as her husband left for his shift, gunfire erupted in the area. “Everyone was told to take cover,” she remembered, with military trucks and sirens soon filling the streets. Tragically, an hour later, she was informed of her husband’s death.
“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 shared, revealing the pain of raising three young children alone after her husband’s passing.
Her faith has been her guiding light through this difficult journey. As a devoted Catholic, Ms. Seavula has leaned heavily on prayer, believing it has given her the strength to move forward. “Even though what Mr. Speight did was wrong, God teaches us to forgive. And I forgive Mr. Speight, my family does too,” she affirmed.
Now a grandmother of six, Ms. Seavula recognizes the lingering effects of the 2000 coup but advocates for forgiveness as a means to healing and nation-building. “Holding onto resentment stops you from moving forward. After losing Filipo, I learned to trust in God’s plan,” she stated.
The death of Corporal Seavula on May 28, 2000, remains a dark chapter in Fiji’s history, coinciding with a day of national turmoil, including the hostage crisis of Prime Minister Chaudhry and his government, which lasted for 56 days.