Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says building racial harmony must remain an urgent, ongoing priority for every government in Fiji, and warns that “working in silos or in compartments won’t cut it”.
Responding to a letter to the editor by Rakesh Chand Sharma on race relations and past Indo-Fijian political decisions, Mr Rabuka said in The Fiji Times ‘A Conversation with the PM’ column that cross-cultural understanding was “such a worthy and noble pursuit”.
“This is an agenda that any government in Fiji should pursue and prioritise because it brings about so much good when done right,” Mr Rabuka said.
“History tells us that this process of promoting cross-cultural understanding is un-ending.
“It has to be ongoing and should cut across all layers and spheres of our respective communities, embracing our schools and churches, villages and settlements, government and non-government spaces as well as local and national leadership structures.”
He recalled how the Alliance Government under Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara created the Indian Alliance wing to promote cultural inclusion and later, in 1997, how Mr Rabuka supported National Federation Party leader Justice Jai Ram Reddy to address the Bose Levu Vakaturaga.
Mr Rabuka pointed to his 2022 ‘let love shine’ campaign, which advocated for racial unity: “The demands of love mean we must be kind and considerate neighbours. Our neighbours are not just families next door, they are everywhere.
“In an ethnically and culturally diverse community, love is accepting that differences are part of Fiji’s national identity and that we all belong here.”
