THE Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai has formally backed the removal of constitutional immunity provisions.
He said this aligned with the military’s strategy and strong public submissions detailed in Chapter 10, subsections 10.2.5 and 10.3 of the Constitution Review Commission’s report.
The move marks a decisive effort to hold all military personnel accountable under the standard rule of law, ending decades of legal protection for military interventions.
Maj-Gen Kalouniwai confirmed that shedding immunity was not just a symbolic gesture, but a core strategic goal for the RFMF moving forward.
He intends to weave these principles into internal operational policies over the coming year to ensure complete structural alignment.
“It’s something that was part of our recommendations. I see it as not just a statement for me. It’s an intent for the RFMF,” he said.
The Commander stressed that eliminating immunity required internal operational adjustments alongside constitutional amendments.
Ensuring equal application of the law means addressing historical exemptions that previously separated military personnel from ordinary civilian legal consequences.
“Moving into next year, it’ll be part of our strategy for the RFMF. So, we’ll be doing a lot of changes that will go in line with what we’re trying to do,” said Maj-Gen Kalouniwai.
“When we talk about immunity (in terms of) giving everybody the same opportunity, we will have it done also within the RFMF itself.”
He said the strategic shift was intended to signal a permanent break from past military overreach. By supporting the removal of immunity clauses, the Commander aimed to enforce strict internal accountability while establishing that no member of the armed forces stands above the law.
“So, there are things that we will have, there are actions that we need to take as well within the RFMF, that will be guided by what we’re going to do when we’re talking about the immunity clauses.”
