Covid-19 Vs Racism In Fiji

April 2021, the second wave of covid hit our beautiful shores of Fiji again. This time devastated the nation by recording an increasing number of Fiji cases compared to the previous year. Amidst all the chaos, people are now connected virtually, which embarks the use and importance of technology even more. Whether it be scrolling Facebook sharing memes, making TikTok, or working from home, people are keeping themselves occupied. One day I was browsing my Facebook feed and I came across a post being shared around which was not a meme or anything but a hate speech delivered by a fellow Itaukei sister to our Indian community, reading that post really made me sad and angry at the same time. Clicking on the comments and seeing more hate being delivered rather than the original post itself was more devastating. Indians attacking Itaukei and Vice versa. Where did our "We are all Fijians" logo go to? Honestly that day I thought some people may really have lost it maybe because of Covid stress but then I thought this can't be the reason and are there people living in Fiji who still support racial discrimination? I believe everyone should be seen as equal because remember we are all classed as Fijians. There's no Kaindia or Kaiviti but one word Fijian. Our ancestors went through so much so our generation could live in the era of independence but Is this how we are gonna payback for their sacrifice? By hating and discriminating against each other's races?! My best friend has forever been an Itaukei girl, we never discriminated against each other but love and look at each other as a family because we were never taught to hate. Now before faking and sharing stories about other countries' incidents such as the Floyd incident in your posts have a peep in your community and try to stop the racism here first. Because it all begins from home and the virus of racism is more lethal than any virus.

We all should be united and praying together to overcome covid-19 not being keyboard warriors and lashing out against one another on social media platforms, Because "United we stand, divided we fall." It's time we stand by one and be Fijians because this virus knows no race as it looks at everyone as equal. So instead of creating hate speech on social media, spread awareness and prayers for which the country is in dire need.

"Darkness can not drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."- Martin Luther King, Jr