Do not fear me any more. This was the message from Opposition Leader and Social Democratic Liberal Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka to Fijians of Indian descent.
He made the comment while speaking at a meeting at the Field 18 mandir in Rarawai, Ba during the Opposition parties listening tour.
“Do not fear me any more. You can have your confidence in me, and I will not betray your confidence,” Mr Rabuka said.
The SODELPA leader, who executed the 1987 coup, said the person he was today was a far cry from the man who overthrew the democratically elected Timoci Bavadra government.
“What you saw of Rabuka in 1987 is totally different of Rabuka post 1997.”
He also addressed the issue of entrenched provisions in the 1970 and 1997 Constitution that had strong safeguards for indigenous Fijian, Rotuman and Banaban landownership.
“It’s not that we want to threaten anybody by trying to bring back those entrenched provisions. “We are here to work with you, and we will show the true nature and benefits of bipartisan approach, not only by racial — bipartisan, multiracial approach to all our national problems.”
Mr Rabuka said: “‘I owe a lot to the National Federation Party. “We got the 1997 constitution with the co-operation of Mr Jai Ram Reddy. So, I owe a lot to the National Federation Party and the Fijians of Indian origin. I owe a lot to you.”
He said the Fijians of Indian descent “have done a lot for the development of this nation”.
Former FijiFirst minister Ashneel Sudhakar, a fervent critic of Mr Rabuka, was also present at the meeting.
While speaking in Parliament in November 2018, Mr Sudhakar had said that Mr Rabuka was feared by the Fijian people.
“The former honourable minister used to say that as soon as people saw me, they feared me. So, your coming today has shown me that you have lost that fear,” said Mr Rabuka.
