Steering Committee Chair Sashi Kiran

The Steering Committee on Truth and Reconciliation Commission will begin nationwide consultations from next week to gather public feedback on the draft legal framework for the Commission.

Steering Committee Chair, Sashi Kiran says this initiative marks a crucial step in the government’s efforts to address past grievances and promote national healing.

Kiran says there has been strong support from all sections of the community for the establishment of the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The committee has been actively engaging with various stakeholders, including leaders from civil society, faith groups, political parties, and media organizations, to refine the draft legal framework.

Kiran says the consultations are set to begin next week, with planned stops in Labasa, Nausori, Lautoka, and Suva.

The first session will take place at the Kshatriya Hall in Labasa on Monday while a virtual consultation will be held this morning.

“Whole of next week we will be doing consultations around the country to see that the provisions that we have in the legal framework is adequate for the commission. Once that gets passed through the parliament then the president will appoint a commission and that commission will then decide how it wants to work organize its work.”

The TRC Steering Committee will be joined by Ruben Carranza, a renowned international transitional justice expert and Senior Expert at the International Center for Transitional Justice in New York City.

Carranza brings a wealth of experience in transitional justice, having played a key role in truth commissions and post-conflict reconciliation in various countries, including Liberia, Kenya, Tunisia, and South Africa.

Kiran emphasized the importance of the TRC in fostering unity and building a more inclusive society.

She says the nationwide consultations are an essential part of the TRC’s formation, providing a platform for Fijians to voice their opinions and contribute to a framework that will guide the Commission’s work in addressing the country’s past and building a more just and unified future.