Opposition MP Viam Pillay has urged calm and community unity after visiting the site of a temple largely destroyed by fire at Tapobhumi in Waiwai, Ba, describing the damage as deeply distressing for worshippers and neighbours. Speaking after seeing the devastation firsthand, Pillay said the loss had shaken families who used the temple and the wider community, and called for respect for places of worship while the matter is investigated.
Pillay told reporters the Tapobhumi temple had already been targeted in two previous break-ins, making the latest act — described as a third intrusion that culminated in the blaze — particularly worrying. “I visited the Tapobhumi in Waiwai, Ba today to witness firsthand the devastation caused by the recent fire… standing there, it was clear how much this loss has shaken the families who worship here and the wider community,” he said, adding that every community deserves safety and every place of worship deserves respect.
Acknowledging an ongoing police investigation, Pillay urged residents to allow law enforcement to complete its inquiries and for any findings to be allowed to determine accountability. “I acknowledge the ongoing police investigation and support a full and careful process. We await the official findings… so that the facts can be established and accountability can follow,” he said, stressing due process rather than immediate public speculation.
Beyond the physical damage, Pillay highlighted the longer-term need to rebuild trust between neighbours. He said reconstruction of the temple is important but insisted that restoring relationships and social cohesion is a higher priority. “Rebuilding the structure matters, but rebuilding trust between neighbours matters even more,” he said, calling for open dialogue and reconciliation forums so communities in and around Waiwai can “sit together, speak honestly, and work toward understanding and peace.”
The incident adds to growing concern around attacks on religious sites in Fiji and comes amid broader calls from rights bodies and political figures to clamp down on hate speech and safeguard sacred places. In recent months, high-profile cases involving vandalism and desecration of temples have prompted legal proceedings and debate over protections for religious communities, and the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission has previously warned that speech inciting hatred across faiths is unlawful and harmful to social harmony.
Pillay said he stands with those affected and urged a united response grounded in calm and dignity. He encouraged local leaders, faith representatives and neighbours to work together while authorities pursue their probe, framing community dialogue and mutual respect as the path to restoring both the temple and the relationships that underpin public life in Waiwai and Ba. Police have not yet released details of their findings.