Historically, Fiji’s economic and political development has
created inequalities and deep-rooted divisions between its
diverse ethnic groups. The country has experienced four
military coups and a military mutiny since 1987, mainly
as a result of tension between the majority indigenous
Fijian population and an economically powerful Indian
minority. Smaller minorities, including Banabans,
Rotumans, Chinese, Melanesians and other Pacific
islanders are largely politically invisible, and socially and
economically excluded.
The most recent 2006 coup, led by Commodore Josaia
Voreqe Bainimarama, has presented itself committed to
creating a multi-ethnic Fiji and ending a system that
classifies Fijians based on ethnicity. However during this
time, Fiji’s military government has been heavily criticized
for its infringement of rights to free speech, press, peaceful
assembly, and association.
Now the country is again at a crossroads. In January
2013, Fiji’s government rejected a draft constitution
drawn up by an independent commission, and submitted
it to be re-written by the Attorney-General’s office. This
intervention threatens to significantly undermine the
people’s confidence in the process, the final document and
a democratic future for Fiji.
Against the backdrop of these upheavals, this report
aims to address the most intractable problems the
constitution set out to address: tackling discrimination
and exclusion based on ethnicity and improving intercommunity
relations. It is based on evidence drawn from
interviews with individuals from nearly all ethnic groups
from various walks of life, including government officials
and representatives of NGOs, religious communities,
trade unions, employers, farmers, university students and
diplomats.
Their responses reveal a complex picture of ethnic
relations in Fiji and reflect perceptions of both greater
ethnic integration and growing divisions.
On the one hand, Fijian society is undergoing huge
changes. Rapid urbanization, a growing modern economy
and demographic shifts (indigenous Fijians are now the
country’s largest ethnic group) are eroding entrenched
ethnic divisions. People of different ethnicities are living
and working together and their children are going to
multi-ethnic schools. Increasingly, how an individual
relates to members of their own and other ethnic groups
depends more on their education and socio-economic
status than their ethnic identity or gender.
However, indigenous Fijians expressed disquiet about
what they perceived as the government’s anti-Fijian
policies. For example, the abolition of the indigenous
Fijian Great Council of Chiefs, the suppression of the
Methodist Church and the withdrawal of affirmative
action programmes. They argued that these policies have
damaged inter-ethnic relations and fuelled ethnonationalism.

Land ownership and access to natural resources also
remain the cause of much inter-ethnic tensions. Large
numbers of Indo-Fijians, who rely on land leased by
indigenous Fijians, have lost their land; and indigenous
Fijians fear their land will be expropriated by the
government for development.
While educated women from all ethnic groups have
greater opportunities for employment and getting their
voices heard, Fiji remains a male-dominated society.
Banaban, Tuvaluan and Melanesian, and some Rotuman
women in rural areas particularly struggle to participate in
decision-making beyond their families and church groups.
This report explores the historical factors that have
shaped inter-ethnic relations in Fiji, the impact of the
2006 coup and subsequent government policies, and the
legacy of the work of the Constitution Commission. The
report also provides policy recommendations, based on the
evidence drawn from extensive interviews.
This report calls on the Fiji government to:
• Rescind its decision to reject the draft constitution,
developed by the Constitution Commission through a
legitimate and participatory process, and submit the
draft to the Constituent Assembly.
• Enact comprehensive legislation to prohibit
discrimination and provide transparent, accessible and
effective access to justice for all victims of
discrimination.
• Carry out an audit of all affirmative action
programmes to identify the extent to which the most
needy communities and individuals are receiving
assistance. The current complex system should be
replaced by a streamlined, simplified programme
which ensures that access to support is on the basis
of need.Commission a comprehensive review of school
curricula by a body including representatives of all
ethnic and religious communities and propose a new
curriculum that includes teaching about the history,
culture, religion and language of all communities
in Fiji.
The report also urges civil society, ethnic, community and
religious leaders to take efforts to build understanding,
tolerance and dialogue between ethnic and religious
groups.