The National Federation Party believes that race based problems will stay in the country unless the two major races, Fijians and Indo Fijians understand and accept each other from within.

General Secretary Pramod Rae said reconciliation cannot be forced on people and leaders in the country will have to bridge the gap, extend their hand and befriend the leaders and people of the other races as this problem will not go away by making charters and laws.

Rae made the comments while answering questions on a talkback show on our Sister Station, Radio Sargam yesterday afternoon on what the Party thinks of the Interim Prime Minister's idea of eradicating race based policies.

He said leaders should not add salt to the wound as the current situation in the country regarding race problems are very bad.

He said the 2006 coup is being looked at as a racist coup and Indo Fijians have been blamed for it. He said his party decided to go against the coup leaders and wrong-doers to help diffuse the tension that arose after the coup.

While answering questions on why the party cannot forgive and forget and work with the interim government, Rae said that NFP does not think that whatever happened during and after the coup can be forgotten. He said people who do this are in a way recognizing the wrong that has been done and it is time that the coup culture comes to an end or people will still be saying forgive and forget after other coups 10 or 20 years from now.