On October 12, 1989, forty villagers from Suvavou occupied a cement block manufacturing facility in Lami. According to a report from The Fiji Times, the men took control of the factory and a nearby truck depot, citing a debt of over $1,400 in unpaid land rent by D Narayan Industries, which operated the site.
The villagers barricaded all entrances to the factory, setting up a tent outside the main office where they gathered to drink yaqona, while guards were stationed at the gates. Metui Mudunavosa, a spokesperson for the Tui Suva, explained that the villagers felt compelled to take action after their multiple complaints to the Native Land Trust Board (NLTB) regarding unpaid rent went unanswered.
Mudunavosa shared their frustrations, stating, “We complained four times to the NLTB that land rent for 1988 and 1989 had not been paid but nothing was done.” He criticized the NLTB for their inaction, despite their claims of serving a notice of eviction to the company, which he deemed insufficient. Additionally, he claimed that D Narayan Industries was operating illegally on the land, which he asserted had never been leased to them, as it was originally intended for D Narayan Brothers Limited since the 1970s.
The ownership history of the land indicates that it was leased to D Narayan Brothers in December 1970 and subsequently mortgaged to various banks until it was handed over to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue in November 1988. The villagers also alleged that the company had illegally sub-leased a portion of the land to a trucking firm.
Mudunavosa noted that the trucking company owner informed the villagers he was paying $800 monthly in rent, which contrasted sharply with the mere $700 per year the villagers were supposed to receive, a payment that had not been made. He expressed the villagers’ outrage over the disparity, stating, “It is grossly unfair that we should be paid $700 a year… when this company illegally sub-leases part of the land for $800 a month.”
The villagers asserted that the area they originally leased was significantly smaller than what D Narayan Industries was currently using, claiming the company expanded its boundaries over the years. After repeated attempts to resolve the situation through the NLTB yielded no results, the villagers resolved to take matters into their own hands.
A villager identified as Joe reinforced their determination, stating, “We are going to stay here — we will not be moved from our ancestors’ land.” Mudunavosa indicated that they were prepared to pursue legal action to reclaim the land and secure the overdue payments, declaring, “There is no way we want this D Narayan Industries to remain on our land after what he has done.”
When a reporter from The Fiji Times visited the site, villagers were in discussions with Mr. Narayan and his lawyer about the situation.