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About Us

The FTRC is an independent entity set up for truth-telling, reconciliation, and national healing. 

FIJI TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

The mandate of the FTRC is to examine past political upheavals and their impact on people’s lives. 

Our Mandate
Legal Framework
The Commission is looking at the physical and emotional harm, loss of life and property, and systemic injustices on people.
The purpose of this work is to foster unity and social cohesion in a society where everyone feels safe, equal, included and able to thrive. The Commission seeks to
honour the lived experiences of survivors by providing a platform for voices to be heard, validated, and acknowledged. The Commission emphasises that truth-telling is not about retribution. It is about recognition, healing, to ensure that history is not repeated. Through reconciliation, the Commission aims to build a stronger, more just, and peaceful Fiji for future generations.

Our Mission

To promote social cohesion through healing and reconciliation by:
  • Facilitating open and free engagement in truth-telling regarding the political upheavals during coup periods from 1987 onwards.
  • Promoting closure and healing for the survivors of these events.

Our Vision

Through reconciliation, we can build a stronger, just and more peaceful Fiji for all.
2023

13 September

Hon. Sashi Kiran moved a motion for Parliament to support the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to enable open truth-telling and address conflicting narratives surrounding Fiji’s political upheavals, with the aim of achieving national healing and closure.

2024

3 October

The Bill was moved.

2024

4 December

Passage of Legislation
The Bill was moved, debated, voted upon and enacted by the Parliament of the Republic of Fiji. The Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act 2024 (Act No. 15 of 2024) is passed by Parliament.

2024

6 December

Presidential Assent
The Act receives formal assent from His Excellency the President of Fiji.

2025

13 January

Commencement Notice Issued
The Prime Minister officially brings the Act into force. This marks the legal establishment of the Commission.

2025

30 January

■ The President appoints five Commissioners.
■ European Union supports Fiji in fostering national reconciliation by financing the Chair of the TRC and providing capacity building support to the TRC and its secretariat.

2025

February - April

Preparatory phase

2025

1 May

Commencement of the 18-Month Operational Phase.

2026

October

Initial Term Completion

2027

January

Within 3 Months Post-Term
The Commission will present its Final Report to the President of Fiji by January 2027.

Our Mandate

The Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission (FTRC) is a national effort to promote truth, healing, and reconciliation after the coup periods from 1987 onward.

The purpose of this work is to foster unity and social cohesion in a society where everyone feels safe, equal, included and able to thrive. The Commission seeks to
honour the lived experiences of survivors by providing a platform for voices to be heard, validated, and acknowledged. The Commission emphasises that truth-telling is not about retribution. It is about recognition, healing, to ensure that history is not repeated. Through reconciliation, the Commission aims to build a stronger, more just, and peaceful Fiji for future generations.

Purpose

To promote social cohesion through healing and reconciliation, by facilitating open and free engagement in truth-telling regarding the political upheavals during the coup periods from the year 1987, and to promote closure and healing for the survivors of these events.

Survivor Support

  • Facilitate enabling spaces and a conducive environment for survivors to share their stories, experiences and trauma.
  • Facilitate trauma support services, including faith-based or pastoral support, counselling, translators, sign-language interpreters or other survivor support mechanisms.

Research and Documentation

  • Examine the nature, antecedents, root causes and accountability for the human rights violations or abuses which occurred during the coup periods.
  • Consider sectoral impacts of these violations on health, education, legal and other sectors, while maintaining emphasis on individual survivors.

Outreach and Coalition Building

  • Engage all relevant stakeholders in the reconciliation process.
  • Do all things that contribute to the fulfilment of the objectives of the Commission.

Advocacy and Policy Recommendations

  • Create a platform for social accountability through constructive interchange between survivors.
  • Promote a culture of truth, reconciliation, and healing for all persons affected by events during the coup periods.
  • Acknowledge and promote cultural, traditional and religious forms of reconciliation, healing, and justice.
  • Recommend policy options or measures to prevent similar situations from being repeated in the future.

A Step-by-Step Process

Swipe to view entire process.

Contact & Appointment

1
Individuals will fill in and submit the FTRC Contact Form. FTRC staff member will follow up via phone or email to discuss the contents in the contact form and schedule an appointment for further engagement.

Submission

2
Participants will be invited to make formal submissions facilitated by FTRC staff.

Verification & Support Assessment

3
Submitted information is verified by FTRC staff.
An assessment is conducted to determine if mental health or psychosocial support is required, with referrals made as needed.

Statement Taking

4
Trained FTRC Statement Takers are assigned to meet with individuals.
Comprehensive, confidential statements are recorded, respecting the dignity and safety of all participants.

Statement Verification & Selection

5
Collected statements are verified and reviewed.
Selected statements will be identified for presentation during public or closed hearings, based on thematic and legal relevance.

Hearings

6
FTRC Commissioners conduct hearings to listen to testimonies.
These hearings may be public or confidential, depending on the nature of the statement and the preference of the individual.
Testimonies are consolidated and analyzed as part of the national truth-telling effort.

Reconciliation Processes

7
Based on findings, the FTRC facilitates community or individual reconciliation processes, in line with cultural practices and principles of restorative justice.

Report Development

8
A comprehensive report is developed, detailing findings, patterns of harm, and recommendations for institutional reform, justice, and reconciliation.

Submission of Final Report

9
The Final Report is formally presented to the President of Fiji

Meet Our Commissioners

Joaquim Fonseca

Chairperson

Ana Laqeretabua

Commissioner

Rajendra Dass

Commissioner

Rachna Nath

Commissioner

Sekove Naqiolevu

Commissioner
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Ana Laqeretabua

Commissioner

Email Address: commissioners@fijitrc.org

Biography

Ana Laqeretabua is a Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Trainer, committed to transformational leadership. She is the Principal Consultant and sole director of SALT Inc. Ltd, a development consultancy in operation in Suva, Fiji since 2009. Ms Laqeretabua comes with strong communication and facilitation skills and a deep understanding of the nuances of the Fiji social and political context. Her first job as a cadet reporter for the Fiji Sun in 1987, enabled her to witness the tense events of the 1987 Military coup d’etat through the eyes of reporter. She then went on to work at The Fiji Times until 1991 and was mainly responsible for covering Court proceedings and daily reporting. 

Ms Laqeretabua holds an MA in Gender Culture and Development and a BA in Visual Communications from the UK. She is a lifelong learner and recently completed a second MA in Gender, Sexuality and Politics through the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She is an experienced facilitator who has worked extensively in the Pacific region for the past two decades across a range of sectors providing Personal Development and Leadership training, technical assistance in the area of Gender & Social Inclusion as well as Communications for Development support. 

Ms Laqeretabua is a member of the global Maxwell Leadership Team, a global Coaching company with over 40,000 members from 160 countries under the mentorship of global leadership guru, John C Maxwell. She is the only individual based in the Pacific who has attained the highest level of certification as an Executive Program Leader. As a Leadership Coach and Facilitator, Ana advocates for transformational people-centered values-based leadership, which starts with leading self, leading others and leading change. 

Ms Laqeretabua has provided leadership and personal development training for individuals, managers, high-performance leaders and staff with ANZ Pacific, Digicel Pacific,Reserve Bank of Fiji, South Pacific Tourism Association, Pacific Community (SPC) Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), University of the South Pacific (USP) and Asco Motors and also across several Government Ministries since her certification in 2017. 

She has served on several NGO and CSO Boards in Fiji and is a Trustee of the Women’s Fund Fiji.

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Rajendra Dass

Commissioner

Email Address: commissioners@fijitrc.org

Biography

Rajendra Dass is an experienced and dedicated retired Airline Transport Pilot with a distinguished 43-year career at Fiji Airways. He successfully advanced from a cadetship program to the rank of Captain, demonstrating exceptional leadership, professionalism, and commitment to his career. After completing foundational studies at the University of the South Pacific, he had the privilege of joining Fiji Airways as a cadet where he embarked on a rewarding journey in commercial aviation. 

Born and raised in Nausori, Mr Dass attended Nausori Primary School before continuing his education at Lelean Memorial School. In the late 1970s, he received a scholarship to attend cadet pilot school in Australia, where he trained as a pilot for Fiji Airways. His commitment to community extends to his children’s education, as they attended Nausori-based Vunimono Arya School and Nausori Primary School, with the younger two later enrolling at International School Suva. Mr Dass actively participated in all parent-teacher events, fostering a strong connection with the school community. Throughout his life, Mr Dass has been a responsible and engaged citizen, consistently offering suggestions for the betterment of his home town, Nausori. 

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Rachna Nath

Commissioner

Email Address: commissioners@fijitrc.org

Biography

Rachna Nath is a human rights advisor, strategic communications specialist, journalist and community leader.  

She is widely recognised as an expert in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, media management, documentary production, scriptwriting, and digital and social media strategy. With a career spanning over 20 years, Ms Nath brings a unique blend of government experience, media leadership, and advocacy expertise.

Ms Nath has provided human rights advisory through advocacy-led behavioural campaigns, public petitions, and comprehensive communications strategies aimed at influencing national policy. Her work includes the development of submissions and research reports on pressing human rights issues, including the landmark national inquiry into the Pacific Pay Gap in Aotearoa New Zealand. She is also known for her powerful storytelling campaigns profiling Indigenous, ethnic minority, LGBTQIA+, disabled and migrant voices, using media as a catalyst for collective action, social change and systemic reform.

Ms Nath brings deep knowledge of central government functions and comes with a proven ability to influence and drive transformational change through advocacy, inclusive storytelling, campaign strategy, and a strong commitment to racial equity, social justice, and economic empowerment. She has produced films, documentaries, and television series as feature programming across 29 countries in Fiji and the Pacific. A major highlight of her career was the production of a climate change film for COP 21 through a European Union-funded project that premiered in the presence of former UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki-Moon. 

Ms Nath holds a BA in Journalism and Politics, a Post Grad Diploma in International Affairs and International Relations and Diplomacy (both from the University of the South Pacific), and an MSc in Human Rights and Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

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Sekove Naqiolevu

Commissioner

Email Address: commissioners@fijitrc.org

Biography

Sekove Naqiolevu is a well respected member of the Pacific legal fraternity, having served as the Chief Magistrate of Fiji (1992 – 1997)  and a Judge of the High Court and Court of Appeal of the Solomon Islands (2005-2010). Judge Naqiolevu began his career as a legal officer in the States Solicitor’s Office in Papua New Guinea and worked his way up to Principal Legal.  He also held the position of Deputy Secretary, Special Duties, Prime Minister Office, Government of Fiji (1997-1999) and served as Fiji’s Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, accredited to Gov of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands Govt (1999-2002). After this role, Judge Naqiolevu became the Assistant Special Coordinator, RAMSI, Solomon Islands (2002-2005)  

Judge Naqiolevu’s vast experience stems from his studies at the University of Papua New Guinea where he gained a Bachelor of Laws. This led to him being admitted to practice law at the National Court of PNG and admitted to practice law at the High Court of Fiji.  Hecurrently serves voluntarily in various NGOs including SEEP (Chairman), PCP (Board of Trustees), Home of Compassion, (Member Advisory Council), SPCA (Trustee), CHREEC (Committee Member) and IRAH (Board Member). 

Judge Naqiolevu has also been awarded the Civil Service Medal, Fiji Independence Medal and the Fiji 50th Anniversary Medal. 

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Joaquim Da Fonseca

Chairperson

Email Address: commissioners@fijitrc.org

Biography

Joaquim Da Fonseca is a distinguished diplomat and peace-builder with over 20 years of experience in advancing reconciliation, peace, transitional justice, and human rights in post-conflict and transitional settings.

He has been at the forefront of Timor-Leste’s reconciliation and justice processes since 1999, playing a defining role from the early truth and reconciliation initiatives during the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) to shaping national mechanisms that continue to guide the country’s healing and unity today.

He brings deep national experience from the Timorese independence struggle, truth-seeking processes, and post-conflict peacebuilding with high-level diplomatic leadership, having served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Netherlands and as Timor-Leste’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva. His work has consistently bridged civil society, government, and multilateral partners to advance justice, reconciliation, and social cohesion.

Mr. Fonseca served as Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Netherlands from 2013 to 2019 and as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva from 2009 to 2013.

Prior to his appointment as Chairperson, Mr. Fonseca served as Coordinator and Senior Advisor at the National Commission for Reconciliation among Timorese from December 2016 to date. His work focused on national efforts to design and implement a new reconciliation mechanism addressing internal conflict from 1974 to 1999, building on the legacy of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR).

In the human rights sphere, he served as Senior Advisor for Human Rights and Civil Society at the Office of the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste from 2006 to 2009.

The Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission operates independently, while the Coalition Government has committed to ensuring that it is adequately resourced to effectively carry out its mandate.

Under the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Act passed by Parliament in December 2024, the Commission is mandated to facilitate truth-telling in relation to the political upheavals arising from the coup periods from 1987 onwards and to promote closure, healing, and national reconciliation for survivors of these turbulent periods.