Many Fijians born before 2006 have lived through at least one coup. And our country’s history has been muddled by these events which not only destabilised the country and displaced families, but also contributed to heightened tensions between the two biggest racial groups. Now, the Coalition Government is on a journey to help right those wrongs and start uncomfortable conversations about where we are as a country, and where we hope to go.
Though the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) may be a foreign concept for so many Fijians – with some even questioning the need for it – convening such a group is not new. This week, consultations on the draft legal framework on the establishment of the TRC began, and among them, a seasoned expert says the Fiji TRC must be shaped to reflect the country’s surroundings and history. International Center for Transitional Justice senior expert Ruben Carranza is part of the team that is conducting public consultations nationwide on the draft legal framework to establish the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Mr Carranza has done transitional justice work in various post-dictatorship and post-conflict countries and worked on the design and operation of truth commissions in Liberia, Kenya, Gambia, Tunisia, Nepal, Armenia, the Solomon Islands, and Indonesia. In addition to this, he also supported policymaking and implementation in South Africa, Peru, the Philippines, Morocco, and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. TR.