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The Republic of Fiji Military Forces is developing a structured plan to engage the Indo-Fijian community. The move forms part of its wider reconciliation efforts following the events of 1987 and 2000.

Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua in his ministerial statement in Parliament stated that the approach aims to be practical, respectful and sustained.

He said the institution was working to understand what communities consider genuine.

Tikoduadua explained the plan involves identifying community representatives, speaking with people who lived through the turmoil and documenting their experiences in a way that reflects the range of impacts faced by Indo-Fijian families.

He stated the RFMF wants any acknowledgment of harm to be accurate and free of broad claims, noting that the community’s experiences varied widely.

The Minister said the RFMF was also assessing what form a request for forgiveness should take. He states it cannot be symbolic alone and must be grounded in understanding and proper preparation. Options under consideration include community discussions, written acknowledgments or a cultural process tailored for the Indo-Fijian community, similar in intent to the Matanigasau offered to the Great Council of Chiefs.

Tikoduadua adds that the RFMF accepts that the Indo-Fijian community carried heavy and long-lasting consequences from the 1987 and 2000 upheavals. He said many families lived for years with fear, uncertainty and doubts about their place in the country and these experiences remain part of Fiji’s collective memory.

He also points out that the institution understands these events were shaped by political forces, social tensions, historical grievances and institutional decisions.

Tikoduadua said the RFMF knows no single gesture would resolve every concern but the planned engagement aims to begin a process anchored in dignity and truth.

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