Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s strong condemnation of recent attacks on Hindu places of worship, and his assurance that the safety and sanctity of all religious sites are protected under the law, must be welcomed and supported.
In a time when division and discord plague many corners of the world, we stand at a unique and powerful crossroads.
Let’s face it! We are a nation that is not only multiracial and multi-ethnic, but also deeply rooted in a heritage of religious diversity.
And we have lived side by side for decades!
Mr Rabuka’s message goes beyond just words. It is a call for us to protect and nurture the spirit of unity that has long defined our island home.
Our temples, churches, mosques, and shrines are symbols of our identity, our histories, and our coexistence.
They are sacred spaces that belong to all of us. As Mr Rabuka rightly pointed out, these places are “sacrosanct and held in high regard by all right-thinking and law-abiding citizens”.
When such spaces are attacked, it is not just a religious group that suffers. The whole nation is wounded.
Our strength lies in our ability to embrace difference. We are people from different ethnicities, communities, and religions who live side by side.
We have said this before. We celebrate Christmas, Diwali, Eid, and Easter with equal warmth. This is our normal. This is our blessing.
But maintaining this harmony takes effort. It needs respect, education, and empathy. That means standing up when someone is targeted because of their faith.
It means teaching our children that diversity is not a threat, but a gift.
And it means recognising that our differences do not divide us. They can define the rich, inclusive society we strive to be.
In today’s world, we must not take our peaceful coexistence for granted.
Around the world, we see horrifying examples of what happens when ethnic and religious differences are exploited.
Nations are torn apart, communities destroyed, and lives lost. In too many places, people are killed for praying to a different god, or belonging to the “wrong” tribe.
In saying that, we are far removed from such violence, and that is a legacy we must fiercely protect.
It is not by accident, but by the choice of our people that we have nurtured this peace.
Look around you! People of different ethnicities and religions mingle daily. We share restaurants, line up side by side to watch movies, ride on the same buses and minivans, and we pass each other on the streets of our towns and cities.
We have long embraced multi-racialism and we live side by side in residential areas, shopping in the same supermarkets and bread shops. We visit the same hardware stores and watch games sitting next to each other!
In embracing our differences, we build a more united Fiji. In understanding each other’s beliefs, we deepen our own humanity.
And in appreciating how we have lived side by side in peace, through coups and crises, through joy and celebration, we strengthen the foundation upon which our future must be built.
We can choose respect over suspicion, unity over division, and peace over provocation. Because in Fiji, we are not just many cultures, many races, or many religions.
We are one people, bound by the shared hope of a harmonious and inclusive tomorrow.
