Fiji’s Home Affairs and Immigration Minister, Pio Tikoduadua, has temporarily stepped down following revelations of unauthorised passports issued to children of the South Korean doomsday cult, Grace Road Church.
Tikoduadua described his decision as essential for ensuring an impartial investigation into the breaches. The minister expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka for accepting his offer to step aside, adding,
“Rest assured, I will continue fulfilling my role in service to the Fijian people as Minister for Defence and Veterans’ Affairs.”
The passports, reportedly issued without the knowledge of senior immigration officials, reignited scrutiny of Grace Road Church.
The group, which relocated hundreds of members to Fiji in 2014 under apocalyptic beliefs, has faced allegations of human rights abuses, including forced labour and physical violence.
This week, a former Grace Road employee alleged she was physically abused and separated from her children. While Grace Road denied the claims, labelling them a “family dispute sensationalised by the media,” calls for accountability have grown.
Prime Minister Rabuka has reassigned oversight of the Immigration Department and Fiji Police Force to his portfolio, effective 1 December. He emphasised that Tikoduadua would retain his Defence Ministry responsibilities, supported by Permanent Secretary Mason Smith.
Tikoduadua acknowledged the breach as a “significant failure of oversight mechanisms” and vowed to hold those responsible accountable. “This investigation must restore trust in our institutions,” he said.
Grace Road Church has long been mired in controversy. Founder Shin Ok-ju was jailed in South Korea for abuse, while its operations in Fiji, spanning agriculture, construction, and hospitality, have faced allegations of forced labour and financial exploitation.
International efforts to hold the group accountable continue. In 2019, two Grace Road leaders were deported from Fiji, while a High Court order prevented the removal of others, including its acting president, Sung Jin Lee.
Support Our Journalism
The global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today—with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors—is doing just that. Sustaining this requires support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon and support honest and fearless journalism. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/TheAusToday