'We've paid a heavy price': Former Fiji PM wants coup compensation for Indo-Fijians

Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry says justice has not been done for those whose lives were destroyed during past political turmoil in the country.

Chaudhry, Fiji's Labour party leader, said the Indo-Fijian community deserves compensation for the losses and trauma it suffered.

His comments follow a pledge by the military last week to apologise to minority groups over the country's past coups.

Fijians of Indian descent were the main target of the two racially-motivated coups in 1987 and a third in 2000.

Lieutenant Colonel Eroni Duaibe, a military spokesperson, told RNZ Pacific that the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) is forming plans to engage with non-iTaukei (non-indigenous) communities.

"The RFMF will reach out and do whatever it takes (to build a better relationship) with all ethnic and religious groups, including Indo-Fijians," Duaibe said.

Fiji has been rocked by four coups since gaining independence in 1970. The first two - in May and September 1987 - were led by then-military lieutenant Sitiveni Rabuka, who is the current prime minister.

Businessman George Speight led a racially-motivated, armed takeover of the government in May 2000 and held Chaudhry and his government hostage for 56 days.

Chaudhry, who said he was held at gunpoint and knocked unconscious during the chaos, said the Indo-Fijian community deserved justice.

"Those coups had a devastating effect on the Indo-Fijian community and of course it had a ripple effect and led to an exodus of Indians overseas," Chaudhry said.

He estimated that the Indo-Fijian population could now be as low as 29 percent of the country's residents.

"Out-migration is continuing, because of the coalition government's policies, there is no doubt about that, and I can't see the government doing anything to stop it. Something needs to be done to restore confidence in the country," he said.

"Fiji has suffered a loss of skilled manpower, investment, living standards have fallen and because these coups were repeated, the economy has never recovered.

"The effects are across communities, everybody has suffered and today Fiji is in deep trouble, in terms of its economy, and the future.

"We have paid a heavy price, people's confidence is at rock bottom and while an apology is a gesture that no previous military commanders were willing to make, we will see where this leads."

Those who suffered heavy losses in Suva included included businessmen whose shops were burned down during the 2000 coup.

"In some cases (in rural areas) there was forcible entry and people were driven out of their homes, their land was seized, their stock was seized," Chaudhry said.

A lot of people are disappointed that there is no provision for compensating those who suffered loss and damage to their properties, he said.

"They (the government) should at least set up some sort of mechanism which would look at (compensation) claims and depending on their veracity, process them. There are cases that need to be looked at, you can't totally ignore them, as if nothing happened," he said.

The coalition government set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) this year to encourage truth telling and foster reconciliation following Fiji's political upheavals.

Rabuka told the TRC last month that the motive behind the 1987 coups was purely racial, ethnic differences reached a boiling point and iTaukei at the time felt there was no other option.

He blamed his "insulated" upbringing (village, boarding school, the military) for his actions and said he was acting to protect indigenous Fijians.

Chaudhry points out that no-one knows what the outcome of those hearings will actually be.

"Nobody knows what's happening, all we know is that people are going there and telling their stories.

"Rabuka appeared there, I don't think he was able to convince anybody with his story, he tried to make himself a victim of those coups, that's the ridiculous thing."

The 83-year-old political veteran is contesting next year's General Election and when asked if he had much support he said: "I think you'll just have to wait 12 months, we'll see."

"It happened in 1999 and it'll happen again. Labour will be back."

'Reconciliation does not mean forgetting history'

Meanwhile, Fiji's largest Indo-Fijian Hindu organisation has welcome the military's initiative.

However, Dhirendra Nand, the president of the Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha, said the orgnisation "acknowledged and fully understood that deep wounds were inflicted upon the Indo-Fijian community and the wider Fijian society during the coups".

"Some of of these wounds may never be completely healed, but we firmly believe that forgiveness and dialogue remain essential for national healing and long-term stability," Nand said.

"Holding onto pain and resentment only prolongs suffering, whereas forgiveness, though difficult, opens the door to understanding, healing, and a stronger future for generations to come," he said.

"Reconciliation does not mean forgetting history or ignoring the suffering endured by victims and their families, it is about acknowledging past wrongs, respecting the pain of those affected, and committing ourselves to ensuring that such events are never repeated."

He said true reconciliation must be grounded in truth, justice, mutual respect, and sincere efforts to rebuild trust among all communities.

"We urge all stakeholders-religious bodies, community leaders, civil society organizations, and state institutions-to engage constructively, with sensitivity and sincerity, in this reconciliation process for the greater good of our nation."

"Let us draw strength from our shared values, learn from our past, and move forward together with compassion, forgiveness, and a collective resolve to build a just, peaceful, and inclusive Fiji," he said.