It is very hard to forget what you have been through during the coups – Ali

Fiji Women's Crisis Centre Coordinator, Shamima Ali says it is very hard for her to forget and talk without emotions being expressed on how Fiji's coups of 1987, 2000 and 2006 affected her.

While speaking during Truth and Reconciliation Commission Steering Committee consultation meeting, Ali says these aspects are not often looked at and she personally with the Crisis Centre is welcoming the fact of doing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which is long overdue.

She emphasized on the cultural struggles she has gone through as a mixed-race person, growing up with ties to both the indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian communities, having the good fortune to grow up in both and appreciating both.

She spoke about the lack of trust from both sides of her family during the 1987 coup, and how she had to rely on foreign friends to hide her ex-husband who was under immense pressure.

She says it was a very traumatic time for her including hiding during the coups, her home being raided, and the severe impacts on her family.

Ali also spoke about her being removed as a Human Rights Commissioner when she refused to resign after the 2006 coup. She says she continued to try and help those who were being taken in.

As the country prepares for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, she stressed on the importance of this long-overdue process, hoping it will be more successful than previous attempts.

Ali urged the nation to move beyond its divisions and focus on building a future where race, religion, and provincialism no longer dictate the lives of its citizens as Fiji has great potential, and hopes this process will help people realizing that.