PRIME MINISTER HON. SITIVENI RABUKA’S SPEECH AT THE 2025 GIRMIT COMMEMORATION EVENT

 
Bula Sia, Good Morning, Namaste, Asalamwalekum!
 
My special greetings to those watching the program through the digital platform in Fiji and abroad.
 
I warmly welcome you all this morning to the culmination of the Girmit Commemoration event, organised by the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs & Sugar Industry, that started last Saturday.
 
I wish to pay tribute to His Excellency and my paramount chief, His Excellency Ratu Naiqama Tawakecolati Lalabalavu, Na Gone Turaga Bale na Tui Cakau, for officially opening the celebrations on Saturday morning. His Excellency totally understands the significance of this event and I thank him for taking his time to be part of this event. His presence is a demonstration of his vision of unity that he has embarked on since his appointment as the President of this beloved country.
 
The Coalition Government that I lead is in total agreement with His Excellency the President, as we are dedicated to bringing unity and reconciliation between all the races living in Fiji.
 
Ladies and Gentlemen, Girmit Day is a profound moment in our history. On the 14th of May 1879, the first ship carrying indentured labourers from India arrived on our shores. Between 1879 and 1916, nearly 60,000 men, women, and children were brought under an oppressive system of bonded labour, working under uncertain and often inhumane conditions on sugar plantations in Fiji.
 
I am sure most of you have heard of the heart wrenching stories of the Girmityas during this event for the past several days, or have read or heard them from renowned historians, including Labasa’s very own, the late Professor Brij Lal, whom the Coalition Government accorded the rightful dignity to his remains to be interred in his home of Tabia, here in Labasa. There are many documentaries that are also available for us to learn about Girmit.
 
Girmit can be remembered as the most difficult historical past of this country. This was a time when people were very badly treated, victimized, brutalized, shamed, ridiculed, even raped and incarcerated.
 
The Girmitya’s toiled the land fields in very harsh conditions to make this country a better place for us all. All of us who call Fiji their home, have benefitted and continue to benefit from their sacrifices. Fiji became an economic powerhouse in the Pacific, in no small measure due to the hard work of the Indian-migrants who came during the indenture system. We must pay tribute to them and to their descendants.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, the Girmityas were not passive victims. They were proud individuals who resisted oppression, reclaimed their dignity, and fought to define their place in a foreign land. They stood firm against injustice and helped shape a new identity for their people and their descendants. You may also have read or heard that the Indians feared no one. They defied the British overseers’ at every opportunity to claim their izzat or honour, they fought for their respect, and set a limit to toleration.
 
The Indians, according to Dr Ahmed Ali, “interpreted Girmit as their baptism of fire which gave them inalienable rights in Fiji, where they desired and intended to remain permanently; Girmit had been a struggle; its end did not mean the finish of their quest for security and economic advancement”.
 
Girmit day is one way, we can all come together and remember, as well as rejoice in what they have left for us. Today we honour not only the Girmityas who have passed but also their descendants, who continue to enrich our nation with their talents, values, and deep sense of community.
 
As with all diasporas, the Girmitya’s brought with them their religion and culture. In many countries, where the Indians were taken as indentured labourers, they have largely forgotten their culture and even their language. In Fiji’s case, the Girmitya’s kept them well. They kept them for their posterity. How can one do that in such trying situations, is not easy to comprehend. Perhaps, this is what resilience looks like, it is their testament.
 
What you all witnessed over the two days, is what they have left for us – to enjoy the vibrant cultures, music, dances, costumes.
 
We are grateful to them for preserving these as they add to the richness our identity as a multicultural society, united by our diversity. This is what makes Fiji special: a multicultural nation where we do not just tolerate difference, we celebrate it.
 
We know that multiethnicity does not exist by itself. It exists because the originality of ethnicities and everything about them exist and thrive. It is that base that feeds and holds up multiethnicity. It is therefore in our combined interest that we preserve our culture, ethnicity and faith.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, we all know that Fiji has had a troubled past, as it was natural that conflicts would arise when a new group of people comes into another’s space. This is precisely what transpired when the Indians began to live or decided to settle as permanent citizens. There was distrust as two groups were not exposed to living together during the colonial days.
 
Indigenous Fijians did not have a say in why, or how many should come and how they should be settled here. Fiji was not given a time to transit. The policy of indentured labour systems was dumped on us. Naturally this led to tensions and misunderstandings, reasons that fueled conflicts that followed after Fiji gained independence.
 
While most of our history has been about misunderstandings, there are also many instances of integration. For instance, Mahabir, an indentured labourer who came to Fiji at the age of 16, described the hospitality of the indigenous Fijians:
“There was no conflict with the Fijians in those days, if you give them something, they reciprocated. During the indenture days, some Indians used to run away from work and go to Fijian village where they were often given shelter there as well as provided with food. If one took yaqona into the village, then all they would share what they had with you. They also learnt to eat roti, and they were never a fussy people”.
 
If one considers this small anecdote, we can say, things would have been different had the two races been allowed to intermingle; our history may have been different!
 
Now fast-forward 146 years, I think we need to focus not on what divides us but on what unites us: our humanity, the sense of give and take, on compromise, on unity, a sense of belonging. We have lived together long enough to know that unity and peace will lead us to a good future. The banner of ‘one nation, one destiny’ is the only viable way forward.
 
His Excellency former President Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere, Gone Turaga na Tui Macuata said it clearly in his Opening Address to Parliament in February 2023:
“Your Government’s mission is to build unity through social cohesion and further improve and strengthen our economy through sustainable growth with the ultimate objective of improving the lives of all the people of Fiji. There must be clear focus on the rule of law and democratic processes including transparency, accountability, respect for human rights and freedoms, and listening to the views of the people through genuine consultation”.
 
I recalled my first address in Parliament after being elected Prime Minister in response to His Excellency Speech:
“National Unity is a complex matter. I have worked very hard across boundaries to bring people together. I worked in the Solomons, I worked in Nepal, And I was a peacekeeper in the UN, and I will continue to do so here in Fiji. We all now belong to these islands. Our national mission is for a society of equality, fairness and justice”.
 
As complex as it may be, the Coalition Government has taken the task of national unity in our stride. As the first step, declared public holidays to mark two national days, first the Girmit commemoration event that takes place on or around 14th May every year; and Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day, where we pay tribute and remember a great statesman of Fiji. Both the events are a way to remember and remind us of the past, embrace the lessons of history and move forward as a nation together.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, as we remember the sacrifices of the past, we must also chart a path toward a more united and a more just Fiji. A Fiji where every citizen, regardless of their ethnicity or background, feels seen, acknowledged and valued. In that spirit, I want to acknowledge the important progress we are making with the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This is our commitment to healing historic wounds through truth-telling, accountability, and national unity. My assurance to the people of Fiji – we will do our best to heal the wounds that have given us much pain.
 
We will draw inspiration from the Girmitya story, how they endured injustice with dignity, their pain that inspired their determination and built bridges across communities. Their stories must guide us as we embrace our past to shape a future that is based on trust, fairness, and shared prosperity. Here I am also thinking of our sisters and brothers from Rotuma, the Melanesians, Banabans and Kioa, Pacific Islanders and those from the other parts of the world.
 
Last week I reposted a Facebook post that was made by the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs & Sugar Industry about 97-year-old Shreemati Shiu Kumari Ji from Wainikoro, her voice, though gentle, carries the weight of generations, echoing the untold stories of her parents and grandparents who arrived as Girmityas with only hope in their hearts. Through her vivid recollections, we can get a glimpse of the pain of families torn apart, and the deep pride that comes from survival against all odds. Shreemati Shiu Kumari Ji embodies the spirit of the Girmitiyas, who, despite hardship, played her part to lay the building blocks of our modern nation.
 
While honouring the Girmityas, we must also acknowledge our deep and enduring relationship with India, the land from where this journey began.
 
Our friendship with India has matured over 55 years of diplomatic ties, shaped by shared values, cultural bonds, and mutual respect. From the successful hosting of the 12th World Hindi Conference in Fiji, to India’s support during the pandemic, support to Fiji’s Sugar Industry, and to the construction of a 100-bed Super Specialty Cardiology Hospital, India has stood with us in times of need and triumph alike. We will remain good friends.
 
Having said that, we know that India is currently going through a difficult time with violence from terrorist organisations across the border. Fiji recognises India’s right to peace and to self defence, as we do for every soveregin nation.
 
Fiji’s achievements in rugby have brought us global acclaim, none greater than our very own “Sevens King,” the legendary Waisale Serevi. Today, he carries the Fijian spirit abroad, coaching the Indian national sevens team. His story is a shining example of how sport transcends borders, cultures, and histories. We look forward to more unions through rugby, and cricket, a sport that India excels in.
 
We are grateful to the Government of India, and especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for recognising and supporting the aspirations of the Indo-Fijian community, and for building bridges of friendship that go beyond diplomacy. In his address at the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas celebrations in January this year, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of documenting the history of the Indian diaspora, emphasising that their stories “deserve to be told, shown, and documented... as they represent our shared legacies and cultural heritage.” He further proposed initiatives such as academic research on Girmitiya history, the establishment of university chairs, and the organisation of a World Girmitiya Conference at regular intervals, directing his team to explore these possibilities.
 
I acknowledge and encourage our local researchers and academics to do the same.
 
Based on the strong support from Prime Minister Modi, the Fiji Government is looking forward to the support from the Indian Government in planning, designing, and financing of the Girmit Museum Project at the Girmit Cultural Centre in Lautoka. This will be a major contribution by the Indian Government towards the preservation of the Girmit legacy in Fiji.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude, I wish to quote what His Excellency said in his Speech on Saturday:
“The legacy of the Girmityas is not just historical, it is alive in the heartbeat of modern Fiji. Their determined spirit laid the very foundations of our nation’s economic, cultural, and social development…Let it be known that the Girmitya story is not just the story of the Indo-Fijian community, it is Fiji’s story and a major part of our history. It is a story of perseverance, of transformation, and of unity. It is a legacy that binds us all”.
 
Indeed Girmit is a story of all of us, not only for Indo-Fijians. It is part of our history.
 
With these words, I pray that this year’s Girmit Commemoration event has given you a moment to reflect deeply on the Girmit legacy, one that continues to shape our national identity. May this year’s Girmit event inspire us and give us renewed commitment to building unity, harmony, and peaceful coexistence for all of us, who call Fiji home.
 
Thank You, Vinaka Vakalevu, and Dhanayaad.