By Monika Singh
A major highlight at the National Security Defence Review validation workshop in Suva this week was the panel discussion on “Building social cohesion in fractured societies”. It was significant because while Fiji needs such dialogues, they have been rare.
The Fiji National Security & Defence Review report released by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration this week mentions social cohesion as the third key element of Fiji’s national security requirements.
The discussion was chaired by the University of the South Pacific’s associate professor in Pacific journalism, Dr Shailendra Singh, a member of the editorial board of the National Security Defence Review (NSDR).
The panelists included individuals involved directly or indirectly in social cohesion work: Retired colonel Dr Jone Baledrokadroka, a peacebuilding and social cohesion consultant with United Nations Development Programme, Fiji; Vani Catanasiga, Fiji Council of Social Services executive director; Nilesh Lal, Dialogue Fiji executive director; and Pastor Josefa Lauvanua, a member of the Melanesian Community.
Commissioned by the Home Affairs Minister, Pio Tikoduadua, the NSDR’s independent lead is retired Fiji Military Forces lieutenant colonel Jim Sanday. The editorial board is chaired by Professor Satish Chand, from the University of New South Wales and the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra.
Make peace at home first
In his opening remarks panel chair Dr Singh pointed out that Fiji was a fractured society with an incredibly damaging coup culture. Yet, unlike other multiethnic countries like Singapore and Malaysia, little effort had been made to understand, let alone address arguably our most significant problem—a deficit in social cohesion.
Dr Singh stated that geopolitics often takes precedence, despite internal conflict being our most immediate risk. There was also a lot of focus on economic development, but Fiji’s experience showed that without social cohesion, there could be no sustainable development, which could be destroyed overnight by communal conflict.
That Fiji is still struggling with social cohesion more than 50 years after independence highlights the complexity of the issue, noted Dr Singh. However, he questioned whether Fiji had made enough effort to truly address it.
He welcomed current government initiatives, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the NSDR, and the Multi-Ethnic Affairs & Sugar Industry Ministry’s social cohesion projects.
He praised the leadership by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Home Affairs Minister Tikoduadua and Multi-Ethnic Affairs Minister Charan Jeath Singh.
The Prime Minister’s “Ocean of Peace” had resonated with regional leaders, said Dr Singh. However, before the wider region, Fiji needed to get its own house in order, and make peace at home.
That is why social cohesion in Fiji not only has national, but regional ramifications, concluded Dr Singh.
Rebuilding and peacebuilding
Dr Baledrokadroka stated that social cohesion was important to hold together the fabric of any society.
Sharing his work on social cohesion in the Pacific, Dr Baledrodroka said it was not just a challenge in Fiji, but the region.
He emphasised the importance of inclusivity to ensure the success of initiatives or policies leading to peacebuilding.
He highlighted the launch of the United Nations Social Cohesion Programme by PM Rabuka in April to promote peace and unity in Fiji and the Pacific, addressing challenges like climate change and economic vulnerability.
As part of the initiative, workshops have been held from June to September, including pre-dialogue workshops with the Sugar Cane Growers Council, Indo-Fijian society representatives and civil society organisations.
Dr Baledrokadroka shared that the UNDP’s national validation workshop in November would be the culmination of the work that was being carried out by the programme since its launch.
Civil society views on social cohesion
Ms Catanasiga posited that education is essential in fostering social cohesion but it should go beyond Western ideals of cooperation and harmony and instead reflect the diverse realities and histories of Fiji’s people.
Social cohesion must be woven into our educational curricula in ways that resonate with the lived experiences of all Fijians.
Ms Catanasiga added that the root causes that have contributed to the fractures in our society must first be recognised in social cohesion discourse.
She highlighted the cycle of trauma that continued to hold people in Fiji hostage, adding that there had not been enough intentional focus on healing—neither in governance nor in development frameworks.
The trauma, she said, stems from various historical and social factors: colonisation, decolonisation and the manner in which both occurred, the repeated coups, and the way development has been unevenly delivered.
A national effort to build social cohesion must begin at the community level, using a bottom-up approach to tap into our communities —the very places where social cohesion is often alive and well, despite broader societal fractures.
Government, she said, can play a key role by partnering with stakeholders who have demonstrated transformative work in unity and cohesion.
The road to social cohesion will require a deep commitment to understanding our past, healing collective wounds, and embracing an inclusive, community-driven approach to governance and development, she concluded.
Not just a theoretical concept
Mr Lal stated that the lack of social cohesion stemmed from deeply rooted historical divisions.
Our past, shaped by colonialism, ethnic segregation, and political instability has left lasting scars. Political decisions, driven by narrow interests, had only deepened these divides.
Mr Lal noted how divisive politicians had historically exploited societal divisions, prioritising personal or group interests over national unity.
This had deepened distrust and division, especially between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians.
Despite efforts like the current government’s initiatives on reconciliation, many Fijians, particularly Indo-Fijians, remained disillusioned.
This, he said, was reflected in a mass exodus from the country, driven by a perceived lack of fairness and equity in governance.
Mr Lal said in 2023, the economy narrowly avoided a 10-15 per cent contraction, thanks to a 58 per cent surge in tourism earnings.
He said the 8 per cent growth was almost entirely driven by tourism, while other sectors declined due to a lack of confidence and the departure of skilled workers.
Mr Lal stressed that this stark reality emphasised how the erosion of social cohesion undermined national prosperity.
With education being a powerful tool, schools should promote values like tolerance, respect, and mutual understanding.
He suggested that the national curriculum include Fiji’s diverse cultures, histories, and languages to help dismantle stereotypes that drive division.
According to Mr Lal, teaching social cohesion early on will foster a generation that values inclusivity and respect.
Social cohesion from Solomon Islander community perspective
Pastor Lauvanua said there were deep fractures within and between Fiji’s indigenous Fijian and Pacific Islander communities.
According to him, the lack of social cohesion stems from the system itself; it lies in the lack of ethnic understanding and acceptance of one another, and the inability to establish a shared identity with no security in tenure.
A third-generation, part-Fijian of Solomon Island descent, Pastor Lauvanua noted that since their grandfathers’ arrival in Fiji during the blackbirding period in the 1860s, the Melanesian community has assimilated almost entirely into iTaukei culture.
He explained that, since pre-independence elections, the Melanesian community was classified as “Fijian voters” under the old Fijian Communal Voting System, until after the coup of 1987 when they were reclassified as “General Voters/Electors” under the 2013 Constitution.
Pastor Lauvanua said that, despite identifying as Fijian in many aspects, the community has been denied access to benefits like Fijian Affairs Board scholarships or village housing projects.
A former iTaukei Land Trust Board employee, Pastor Lauvanua highlighted how land tenure and ownership issues have segregated communities. The security of land tenure for the Melanesian community has never been resolved.
He called for “common ground” to address what he described as “fractured social cohesion,” and agreed that cohesion should be incorporated into Fiji’s school curriculum.
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