Senior lawyer Graham Leung has told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that Fiji’s coups tested his personal resilience in ways he could never have imagined.
Appearing before the Commission, Mr Leung described the past three decades as a “rollercoaster” shaped by political upheaval and uncertainty.
“The coups tested my resilience in a way that I could never have imagined,” he said.
Reflecting on the years following the coups, Mr Leung said he remained amazed by the strength shown by ordinary Fijians.
“Looking back over the last 30 years I am amazed that I survived the rollercoaster. Even more surprising for me was the people of Fiji, who did their best to carry on and to pick up the pieces.”
Mr Leung said his decision to testify before the Commission was driven by a sense of responsibility to ensure the country’s history is properly recorded.
“It’s important for the future, for posterity, for Fiji to keep an historical record of the coups so that the next generation learn what happened, what we did wrong, so they don’t repeat the mistakes we made,” he said.
“I came forward to share my story so that it’s not lost forever. It will be for future historians to try and make sense of what happened during this dark chapter in our recent past.”
He told the Commission that reconciliation must be viewed as a deeply personal journey rather than a legal or political process.
“For me reconciliation is a deeply personal process. It is not only about looking back and forgiving someone who has hurt or wronged you,” Mr Leung said.
He warned that reconciliation cannot simply be legislated or imposed by the state.
“Reconciliation is not something that can be forced or imposed on anyone by Parliament passing a law. It must come from the heart and be volunteered.”
Mr Leung added that forgiveness was a key part of genuine reconciliation.
“My own view is that forgiveness is an integral part of reconciliation. How can you reconcile with someone if you still hate them and have unforgiveness in your heart?”
