Sitiveni Rabuka, the instigator
of Fiji’s coup culture, took to the witness stand for the
first time on Friday, fronting the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (TRC) in Suva.
The TRC was set up by
Rabuka’s coalition government with the aim of promoting
truth-telling and reconciliation regarding political
upheavals dating back to 1987. The five-member TRC began its
work earlier this year. It was led by Dr Marcus Brand, who
was appointed in January, and has reportedly already
finished his role.
Rabuka had stated
earlier this year he would “voluntarily appear” before
the commission and disclose names of individuals involved in
his two racist coups almost four decades ago.
The man,
often referred to as “Rambo” for his military past, has been
a permanent fixture in the Fijian political landscape since
first overthrowing a democratically elected government as a
38-year-old lieutenant colonel.
But now, at 77, he has
a weather-beaten face yet still carries the resolute
confidence of a young soldier. He faced the TRC
commissioners, wearing a tie in the colours of the Fiji
Army, in a much-anticipated testimony by Fijians locally and
in the diaspora.
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He began by revisiting his childhood
and the influences in his life that shaped his worldview. He
fundamentally accepted the actions of ’87 were rooted in his
racial worldview.
He acknowledged those actions were a
result of his background, being raised in an “insulated”
environment (i.e. village, boarding school, military), and
it is his view that he was acting to protect indigenous
Fijians.
Asked if the coups had served their purpose,
Rabuka said: “The coups have brought out more of a self
realisation of who we are, what we’re doing, where we need
to be.”
“If that is a positive outcome of the coup, I
encourage all of us to do that. Let us be aware of the
sensitivity of numbers, the sensitivity of a perceived
imbalance in the distribution of assets, or
whatever.”
But perhaps the most important response
from him came toward the end of the almost one-hour
firty-minute submission to a question from the facilitator
and veteran journalist Netani Rika, who asked Rabuka: “Do
you see the removal of immunity for coup perpetrators from
the [2013] Constitution as a way towards preventing a repeat
of these incidents [coups]?”
“There should be (a) very
objective assessment of what can be done,” Rabuka
replied.
“There are certain things that we cannot do
unless we all agree leave the amendment to the [2013]
Constitution open to the people. If that is the will of the
people, let it be. At the moment our hands are tied,”
confirming indirectly that the removal of immunity for coup
perpetrators is off the table as it
stands.
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