Fiji’s Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, MSMEs and Communications, Manoa Kamikamica, has described the Hindu Unity Program 2025 as “more than a religious gathering,” calling it a nation-building initiative to strengthen trust, reconciliation, and social harmony.
Speaking at the event on Sunday (24 August 2025), Kamikamica was joined by the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro.
Both leaders stressed that unity, compassion, and understanding are central to building a peaceful Fiji where all communities can coexist in harmony.
Kamikamica reaffirmed government’s zero-tolerance stance on religiously motivated attacks, assuring that “any assault on faith will not be tolerated” and pledging support for dialogue, peace, and reconciliation.
The program comes amid renewed concerns over temple vandalism.
Nadi Police are investigating five thefts of Hindu religious statues reported in a single day across Korociri, Nakurakura, and Sagayam Road on Friday. Items stolen included multiple statues, a clay lamp, and a Shiv Ling. Police say a team is working around the clock to track down the suspect.
Earlier in April, 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.
Indo-Fijian community leaders say the Hindu Unity Program is an important step in countering this history of division. They are urging authorities not only to bring perpetrators to justice but also to reinforce Fiji’s multicultural identity through education and dialogue.
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