Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has strongly condemned the stoning of a Hindu temple in Sawani, near Nausori, describing the act as “deeply disturbing.”
Rabuka urged religious and community leaders across Fiji to stand united with the Government and police in upholding the rule of law.
“Fiji is a proud multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation. To preserve harmony, we must commit to living together in peace, with mutual respect for the cultures we practice and the faiths we hold dear.”
The Shree Baba Ragho Dass Vishnu Temple on Koroi Road in Sawani was the target of the attack on Tuesday night, disrupting a peaceful religious gathering.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:15 pm, shortly after the temple’s weekly Ramayan recital had concluded. Attendees were listening to a speech by community social worker Mr Dharman Prasad when a volley of stones was suddenly hurled onto the temple’s roof.
According to witnesses, the assault happened in two waves, just minutes apart, before a group of youths was seen fleeing the scene.
Temple officials and community members have condemned the act as shameful and a direct attack on their place of worship.
A formal police report was lodged, and a team of four officers visited the temple last night to begin investigations. No arrests have yet been made.
The Prime Minister stressed that taking the law into one’s own hands must never be an option and called on leaders to foster greater partnership, unity, and solidarity as investigations continue.
Earlier in April 2025, pages of the sacred Ramayan were torn at the Vunicuicui Shiv Mandir in Labasa—a crime condemned by the temple community as an assault on interfaith respect. Earlier this month, the Samabula temple was also vandalised, with police investigations ongoing.
Such incidents are part of a troubling pattern. In 2018, temples in Suva and Nadi were defaced with hate graffiti, idols damaged, and donation boxes stolen. In 2006, the frequency of attacks forced temples to hire private security after police admitted they could not provide 24-hour protection. As far back as 1991, firebombings and the burning of sacred texts shocked the nation and drew widespread protests.
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