SOUTH Korean religious group Grace Road has again come under the spotlight in the latest US State Department Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, with pointed criticism of the Fijian Government’s handling of allegations against its leadership.
The report said that although Grace Road is accused of operating as a cult in South Korea, with its leader convicted of violence and other crimes, the group continues to expand its commercial operations in Fiji through restaurants, supermarkets, construction, and agriculture.
“Despite public reporting on suspected forced labour in this organisation since at least 2018, the Government has never prosecuted or convicted any offenders associated with the allegations,” it said.
“The Government has not appropriately responded to INTERPOL Red Notices for four leaders of the organisation associated with related allegations, leading to further allegations of official complicity.
“Despite public reporting on suspected forced labour in this organisation since at least 2018, the Government has never prosecuted or convicted any offenders associated with the allegations.”
It said that allegations of labour exploitation within Grace Road’s operations had surfaced, but Fiji had yet to bring formal trafficking charges against the group.
“Despite many years of widespread reporting of trafficking indicators within a religious organisation that operated numerous businesses in various sectors, authorities did not take sufficient action to hold suspected traffickers accountable or identify and assist potential victims.
“Official complicity and corruption undermined anti-trafficking efforts and allowed traffickers to operate with impunity.”
When asked yesterday, Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Pio Tikoduadua, who was Home Affairs Minister in 2023 when the Red Notices that were issued in 2018 resurfaced said that he had “dealt with those people” during his time.
“Government does not convict anybody. That is a matter for the court.
“We know that during my time we dealt with those people, and that matter is before the court.”
Meanwhile, Policing Minister Ioane Naivalurua refused to speak on the report and its findings, directing The Fiji Times to the Ministry of Immigration.
Immigration Minister Viliame Naupoto said he would address media questions at a later time.
Fiji remains on US tier two watch list
FIJI has once again been placed on the United States Department of State’s Tier 2 Watch List for human trafficking, marking the second consecutive year the country has failed to meet minimum standards for elimination of the crime.
The 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report acknowledged that while Government made “significant efforts,” it did not show overall improvement compared with the previous year.
“The Government of Fiji does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking,” it said.
“Despite making significant efforts to do so, it did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period.
“Therefore, Fiji remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year.”
The report, however, noted that significant efforts have been made by the Fijian government, including “initiating more trafficking investigations, identifying more trafficking victims – including a victim of sex trafficking – and referring trafficking victims to services”.
“In partnership with civil society, the government completed the development of victim identification SOPs, began developing a centralised trafficking case management system, and updated the anti-trafficking NAP.
“However, the government did not initiate any new trafficking prosecutions and, for the second consecutive year, did not convict any traffickers.”
Concerns were also raised about persistent reports of trafficking indicators within a religious organisation that runs multiple businesses across different sectors.
“Despite many years of widespread reporting of trafficking indicators within a religious organisation that operated numerous businesses in various sectors, authorities did not take sufficient action to hold suspected traffickers accountable or identify and assist potential victims.”
The TIP report also warned that official complicity and corruption continued to undermine anti-trafficking work, enabling perpetrators to operate with impunity.
Fiji, it said, must step up prosecutions, strengthen victim protection, and address corruption if it is to move off the Tier 2 Watch List.
When approached yesterday for a comment, Immigration Minister Viliame Naupoto said he wasn’t feeling well to talk to the media.