US warns Fiji over human trafficking concerns linked to Grace Road Group

The United States has issued one of its strongest warnings yet to a Pacific nation, signalling that Fiji could be downgraded to the lowest tier on Washington’s global human trafficking index unless authorities in Suva take decisive action against the Grace Road Group, a South Korean religious sect accused of forced labour and other serious abuses.

The warning centres on the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, which looks at how well governments prevent human trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute offenders around the world.

A downgrade to "tier three", the lowest possible ranking, would place Fiji alongside countries such as North Korea and Cambodia.

Tier three is for governments that fail to meet the minimum anti-trafficking standards and are not making significant efforts to improve. It can result in cuts to most non-humanitarian US assistance and increased diplomatic pressure.

A US State Department official, speaking to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), says Washington is “deeply concerned about indicators of transnational organised crime and human trafficking associated with the Grace Road Group”.

No other Pacific Island nation has faced a comparable threat of a "tier three" downgrade in recent years, making the warning unusually direct for the region. The warning also comes at a time when US engagement has increasingly focused on development, security, and governance.

Grace Road relocated from South Korea to Fiji in 2014 and presents itself as a religious community preparing for an imminent nuclear apocalypse. Around 300 members are believed to live in Fiji.

The company operates the largest chain of restaurants in Fiji, expanding into a major business network operating supermarkets, farms, beauty salons, medical centres, and petrol stations.

The company operates the largest chain of restaurants in Fiji, expanding into a major business network operating supermarkets, farms, beauty salons, medical centres, and petrol stations. Photo/Grace Road Group

The US State Department’s most recent TIP report, released in September, names Grace Road for the first time, stating that members “experience conditions indicative of human trafficking”, including excessive work hours without rest days, confiscation of passports, physical violence and denial of wages.

US concerns intensified after at least four American citizens, including two children, left the group since late last year.

Fiji Police told the OCCRP that they referred four human-trafficking investigation files involving Grace Road to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions between 2024 and 2025.

Two of the complaints were made by US citizens. The ODPP has confirmed the files are under review.

Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has announced an inter-ministerial taskforce led by his office to strengthen the government’s response to human trafficking.

Immigration Minister Viliame Naupoto recently confirmed that Fiji officials met with their US counterparts to discuss expectations outlined in the TIP report.

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has announced an inter-ministerial taskforce to strengthen Fiji’s response to human trafficking following pressure from the United States. Photo/Fiji govt

While US aid to Fiji totalled about US$6.5 million (NZ$11.24m) in 2023, analysts warn the wider impact could be greater if Washington urges multilateral lenders to reconsider support.

Riley Duke, a development aid expert at Australia’s Lowy Institute, reports that reduced multilateral financing “would be very material for the country’s development outlook”.

Grace Road has denied wrongdoing in the past and did not respond to questions by PMN News.

Last month, Fiji's Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pio Tikoduadua temporarily stepped aside and ordered an inquiry after passports were allegedly issued without proper authorisation to children of the Grace Road Church.

Tikoduadua says he and other senior immigration officials were not aware of the issuances, and called the lapse a “significant breach” of protocol.

Fiji's Home Affairs Minister and Immigration Minister Pio Tikoduadua, left, and opposition MP Jone Usamate. Photo/Fiji govt

Grace Road has denied the allegations, describing the issue in a statement as a private family dispute that was sensationalised by the media.

Fiji's opposition MP Jone Usamate has called for a full investigation into alleged human rights abuses, while Fiji Police say an investigation is already underway.

As the March deadline approaches, Fiji faces a critical test of its commitment to protecting vulnerable people and upholding the rule of law.