THE legacy of more than 30 laws introduced under the previous government continues to undermine iTaukei rights and institutions, according to Roko Tui Dreketi Ro Teimumu Kepa, who is calling for those grievances to be addressed before Fiji can move forward on questions of national identity.
Speaking after the Rewa Provincial Council meeting last week, Ro Teimumu said the former administration’s 16-year rule caused lasting damage to indigenous institutions, arguing that key legislation targeting the iTaukei community remained unresolved.
“What they did was they took right from the top and I think over 30 pieces of legislation targeting us iTaukei,” she said.
Ro Teimumu said discussions on the identity of Fijians could not be separated from what she described as the erosion of indigenous rights and institutions.
She pointed to the abolition of the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) under the 2007 decree as one of the most significant decisions affecting the iTaukei, saying it dismantled an institution that had played a central role in Fiji’s history.
“Those are the issues that need to be addressed first.”
Ro Teimumu also criticised the 2013 Constitution, claiming it had affected matters central to indigenous communities, including customary land ownership and traditional fishing grounds.
“That is our land, our qoliqoli, and gave us the heart of our discussions today.”
She warned that unresolved issues surrounding indigenous rights would continue to affect future generations if they were not addressed.
