Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has urged George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, to disclose the identities of those who were involved in planning the coup. In a recent media interview, Rabuka addressed longstanding speculation that has unjustly linked him to the coup and to the mutiny at the Republic of Fiji Military Forces’ Queen Elizabeth Barracks, despite his ongoing denials.
Rabuka emphasized that Speight’s silence has made him a target of these allegations for many years. “We want him to tell the truth,” he stated, asserting that he is among the victims of Speight’s reluctance to speak out. He added that this silence has hindered his efforts to clear his name of any supposed involvement in the coup.
In February 2002, during his sentencing, Speight suggested that he was not acting alone, indicating that a thorough police investigation could have implicated more individuals. He remarked that had the inquiry gone deeper, he would be sharing the same space as other significant figures on Nukulau Island, referring to his conviction for treason that led to a life sentence.
Recently, Speight and former Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit captain Shane Stevens received presidential pardons. Speight, who was sentenced to death but later had his punishment reduced to life imprisonment, spent 24 years in custody, including time on Nukulau Island and at the Naboro Corrections complex.
Rabuka noted that Speight’s release is crucial for the coalition government’s efforts towards truth and reconciliation. Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, who was taken hostage during the coup, expressed similar sentiments, insisting that Speight should reveal the true orchestrators behind the uprising. Chaudhry argued that if Speight is genuinely remorseful about the turmoil caused, he should come forward with the truth and maintained that he was not the mastermind of the events.
Savenaca Narube, the leader of Unity Fiji, stated that Speight’s release comes at an important time for uncovering the masterminds of the coup. He stressed the importance of a politically neutral truth and reconciliation process that acknowledges both victims and perpetrators. “For this process to succeed, the truth must prevail,” Narube remarked, pointing out that while Speight has faced consequences for his actions, others involved have not been held accountable.