The Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission (FTRC) today acknowledged those who have come forward to share their experience and stories about what they went through during Fiji”s political upheaval.
In a statement released today, the FTRC 110 people reached out to the Commission and while some withdrew, others have helped shape Fiji’s truth telling and healing process.
“To date, 110 individuals have reached out to the Commission to make statements or submissions. Between May and September, the FTRC received 32 submissions and has since completed 54 formal statement-taking sessions, which include the 42 statements recorded between November and December 2.”
“The Commission has completed hearings across 11 modalities. These include two survivors in an institutional hearing, one high-level witness, one expert witness and one family hearing. One survivor withdrew their submission and chose not to participate further, reflecting the voluntary and trauma-informed nature of the process.”
The FTRC also acknowledged the diverse backgrounds that the participants have come from.
“Hearing participation continues to reflect a diverse cross-section of communities. Of the 16 survivors who have appeared before the Commission, six are women and 10 are men. By ethnicity, five Indo-Fijian survivors and 11 iTaukei survivors have participated. Gender distribution across ethnic groups includes four Indo-Fijian men, one Indo-Fijian woman, six iTaukei men and five iTaukei women.”
Commissioner Rachna Nath said the Commission has appreciated the strengthit took for people to come forward.”
“Every individual who comes forward contributes to a national journey of truth-telling. Their courage strengthens our collective understanding of the past and brings us closer to healing as a nation.”
“The Commission remains committed to providing safe, voluntary and respectful spaces for all survivors and witnesses who choose to share their stories.”
