Fred Wesley, editor-in-chief of The Fiji Times
OPINION: SUVA (The Fiji Times / Pacific Media Watch): As reports slowly come out about the interesting turn of events in the Golan Heights, we can, thankfully, now heave sighs of relief.
Yesterday the nation would have collectively united to welcome the release of our 45 soldiers by the al-Nusra Front.
For 14 days we had united in a show of patriotism and concern for our missing men.
Prayer sessions cut across every imaginary divide around the country. There was obvious concern and an emotional attachment to the scenario that was unfolding in the Golan Heights.
The 45 soldiers were fathers, sons, relatives and friends of many. Yet unknown to them, they had become part of every Fijian. They were our men. They were Fijians and evidently people shared the fear, and sense of doubt and insecurity that would have filtered into family members back home.
A nation waited with bated breath, struggling to come to terms with the fact that we were now deeply ingrained in the harsh reality of life in the Middle East.
Yes we have long been a vital part of the mechanics behind the struggle to bring peace to the region. Yes, we have a rather long and colourful association with peacekeeping in Lebanon and the Sinai.
Part of headlines
For two weeks though, we actually became part of the headlines. It would probably be unkind to point out how our profile was slapped onto the international stage and how it would have attracted millions of viewers around the globe. In hindsight, the attention wasn't one we craved for though.
It wouldn't be easy to shrug off the fact that there was great concern back home.
The charges by the ever-growing Islamic State in Iraq, the beheadings and other gory scenes wouldn't have eased any fears or doubts about the safety and wellbeing of our men.
But that is the reality of life in the Middle East.
Harsh as it may seem, it is a fact of life.
Perhaps it was the catalyst that brought us together as a nation.
Such times will prove that we are peace-loving people. We live in a multiracial country and we are passionate about many things. And most importantly, we live in a beautiful country with less of the worries the people of Syria are forced to live with daily.
As family members celebrate today, there will no doubt be many lessons for us to learn from.
There were many people behind the scenes who contributed to the end result.
The army commander, Brigadier-General Mosese Tikoitoga, and everyone who had a hand in negotiating the release of our men deserve our gratitude and acknowledgement.
It was a test of faith for many of us.
The Fiji Times editorial, 13 September 2014.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
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