FLS President Wylie Clarke

The Fiji Law Society President calls for careful management of expectations and ensuring the safety of those who participate in the Truth and Reconciliation process.

Speaking during a panel discussion on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, FLS President Wylie Clarke emphasizes that while the commission aims to address past injustices, it is crucial that expectations are neither too high nor too low to maintain public confidence in the process.

Clarke highlighted the need for a clear scope of what the commission will achieve.

He also highlighted the importance of safety for those who wish to share their truth.

“Those protections work very well within the Fiji legal context, but something that will need to be considered is if you’re going to the diaspora, there will be people there who are not here in Fiji, nor are they going to be Fiji citizens. So considerations have to be given to how they are protected in this process moving forward.”

Clarke also highlighted the importance of creating space for apologies and forgiveness.

He adds that encouraging those who have committed wrongs to come forward, seek forgiveness, and say they are sorry is seen as an essential part of the reconciliation process.

Clarke says the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a diverse, complicated, and ambitious project; however, he has assured that they will support it in whatever way they can to make it successful.