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Dr Chand believes Girmitiyas in Fiji are vulagis

July 17, 2019 6:00 pm

Dr.Ganesh Chand

Academic Dr.Ganesh Chand believes that descendants of the Girmitiyas in Fiji are vulagis.

Dr.Ganesh Chand during his topic on the notion of ‘vulagi’ at the Forced Labour and Migration Conference, said Girimityas should stop demanding to be called a Fijian.

“Most people in Fiji who are demanding to be called Fijian or are saying don’t call me a vulagi, that behavior is sloppy and it will be registered. I also suggest that Girimityas in Fiji should stop demanding to be called a Fijian and they must stop demanding that they are not a vulagi for they are in the traditional sense of the word vulagi.”

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Dr. Chand believes there should also be discourse and dialogue in respect to this.

He also says that indigenous Fijians are also called vulagi when they visited other places.

Dr. Chand says the word vulagi needs to be properly understood.

Meanwhile Fiji National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad refused to comment on Chand’s statement.

Professor Prasad also did not want to comment on the issue of whether the apology by SODELPA MP Mosese Bulitavu was sincere.

This as after releasing an apology about his comments, Bulitavu went back on his words a few days later and said he stood by his comments.

In a social media post, Bulitavu had said iTaukei people have learned how to use weapons from the Vulagi while referring to Indo-Fijians who are descendants of the Indentured laborers.