Fiji’s prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, met with King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. He was in the country at the invitation of the King.
He also met with the Fijian diaspora community at the Fiji High Commission to the United Kingdom in London.
Rabuka acknowledged the historical links between Fiji and the UK and took the opportunity to formally apologise to King Charles III for his actions and the events of 1987, as reported by the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA).
In 1987, Rabuka led two military coups in Fiji, overthrowing the government to assert indigenous Fijian political supremacy over the Indo-Fijian community. The coups caused political instability and strained ethnic relations, leading to significant emigration of Indo-Fijians.
Rabuka said he is looking forward to the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
He also wished a speedy recovery for King Charles, who recently returned to public duties after being diagnosed with cancer in February.
Rabuka met with the Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, at the Speaker’s Chambers at Portcullis House within the Palace of Westminster on Tuesday.
He said that his government is committed to establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the pain and scars left by the events of 1987, 2000, and 2006, as reported by FBC News.
Fiji and the UK share historical ties dating back to Fiji's period as a British colony from 1874 to 1970. After gaining independence in 1970, Fiji maintained close diplomatic relations with the UK, primarily through membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.
Fijians have served and fought alongside the British in many wars, including the Second World War, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
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