Page 28 - IB January 2022

People People

REMEMBERING DR BRIJ LAL

A young Brij Lal with his parents in Tabia, Labasa.

Continued from page 5

revered figure with a distinguished body of work behind him
and the adulation that followed it. One could have excused
him were he ever to pull rank, as can be the wont of mortals
with less spectacular trajectories.
Brij was not inclined to talk in any great detail about his
mistreatment at the hands of the military which in 2009,
banned him from Fiji for life. I understood however that his others such as Harish Sharma and Biman Prasad to complete
brief but traumatic period of incarceration had taken a huge their manuscripts.
toll on his health. “He strongly believed in his values and universal principles
According to one account, a senior military officer in the - human right, fairness, justice, equity, freedom, rule of law
Republic of Fiji Military Forces [RFMF] had detained Brij in and basic democratic values. No matter what.
2009, slapped him and spat on him. A soldier also smashed his “We will bring Brij home. It is a matter of when,” she said.
spectacles without which he could barely see. Brij was told Brij Lal gave us a profound awareness of a dismal period
to catch the next flight out of Fiji or his family would have to of Fiji’s early Girmitiya history – meticulously documented in
retrieve his dead body from the mortuary. the countless books and articles he authored. He also gifted
As Brij’s widow, Padma Lal, told this scribe, Brij was pre- us with searing insights into Fiji’s political culture and its self-
pared to never compromise on what he believed in, no matter perpetuating conundrum.
what - without any fear of retribution. He accepted the ban His final piece, published in the November edition of this
philosophically, even if it did hurt not being able to go home. magazine, was essentially an homage to his beloved home-
“He touched so many lives in Fiji and globally, through land. Fiji continued to consume every fibre of his being and
his teachings, research and writings on Fiji’s history and to the end, remained the central muse of his vast intellectual
politics, Girmit and Girmityas and/or Indian Diaspora, and and creative output.
not to forget his ‘factions’. He mentored many budding and Professor Brij Lal is survived by his wife, Padma, two chil-
even established scholars, young and old from Fiji, Hawaii, dren – Niraj and Yogi – and five grandchildren.
Australia, NZ, the Caribbean, Mauritius, India and elsewhere. May this eloquent son of Tabia rest in eternal peace.
He was always ready to guide, mentor and support others to
write their stories. Just like he was doing that with you, and editor@islandsbusiness.com

28 Islands Business, January 2022