TRIBUTE TO OUR UNSUNG HEROES

(By Zonm Lib)

You cannot kill an idea. You cannot kill a people’s right to choose, you cannot kill a people’s desire for change, you cannot kill a people’s desire for democracy, you cannot kill a people’s desire for justice and you cannot kill freedom. Our compatriots were denied their right to live, we will give them a hero’s burial, because they have earned it.  How do you stop a tidal wave or control the direction of the wind? The people’s desire for democracy brought down the Berlin Wall. The wind of Change in Seychelles is fast approaching gale force.

“Independence” without liberty, a Constitution without constitutionalism Democracy without democratization is the status quo. But universally, democracy is defined as “free and equal participation in a system of government requiring the election of representatives from the people, by the people, for the people.” And how does a totalitarian dictatorship become a Multi-Party Democracy? Simply change the label from one to the other and redefine “democracy” as “a system of government requiring the election of representatives from the Party, by the Party for the Party.” Then it’s back to business as usual. Seychelles no longer belongs to Seychellois but has become the private property of The Party

The historical perspective

The exiled Opposition returned home and joined forces with local groups making the same demands, that of freedom and democracy as universally understood, requiring a free media, an independent and impartial judiciary, free and fair elections etc.. The battle lines were drawn. David v/s Goliath: David with pen and paper, Goliath with vast resources, national media, a well-armed security force and the entire judiciary on its side. But the pen is mightier than the sword.

By 2001 46% of our people had understood David’s message. This time around it would appear as if the whole nation is finally ready for democracy and freedom. Finally we have a leader who not only speaks of national unity but practices it by working with another party for the benefit of Seychelles. One SPPF leader talks about being there, for all Seychellois (“En leker pour tou Seselwa”) the other, speaks of ridding Seychelles of all opponents of the Party. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Divisive language does not communicate unity

Truth 

Each one of us has experienced the last 30 years from a different perspective and we each need to ask ourselves, what kind of government we wish to have for the next 5 years? Is it one based on secrecy or disclosure? In order to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery (Bob Marley) we need to see through the propaganda.  We need a government with procedural stability, accountability, openness and disclosure and division of power; features which the SPPF never pretended to understand or practice.  The freedom and liberty we seek has to be participatory and transparent. What we need from the SPPF before its departure from the political scene is The Truth. The truth will heal the nation. Truth will exorcise the ghosts from our past. We cannot break away from our past. James Michel cannot break away from his past; because our collective political past is personified by Albert Rene. The truth as only Albert Rene can recount. The Party’s only asset is now its greatest liability. Truth will provide closure. The Catholic Church in its last issue of L’Echo des Iles has opened the door to that truth.

Our Right to know

The SPPF has never respected or honoured our right to know. We have a right to know how Seychelles became the most indebted nation in the world. We have a right to know who benefited from the USD 4.5 million that was earmarked for houses on Perseverance. We have a right to know who is/are behind DRAFIX SERVICES LTD. We have a right to know who benefited from the sale of Seychellois passports to foreigners. We have a right to know who were behind the killings and disappearances. We have a right to   

For too long our questions have been answered with a deafening silence, or we have been told one thing when the reality was something else. One example suffices to illustrate the point. Shortly after the creation of SMB with its two chairmen a circular reference PO/PARTS/23 dated 19th February 1985 from Albert Rene, was issued addressed to: Principal Secretaries, Attorney-General, Chairman Boards of Directors (Parastatal Organisations) General Managers (Parastatal Organisations)

DRAFIX SERVICES LTD

“The Seychelles Government through the Seychelles Marketing Board has gone into joint venture with FYLDON LTD of UK thus creating a new company namely DRAFIX SERVICES LTD.

DRAFIX began its operation from 1st January 1985. It will act as the only purchasing agent for the Seychelles Government and the Parastatal Organisations for all products imported from UK and Europe.

With effect from 1st March 1985, all Ministries/Departments and Parastatal Organisations must obtain a quotation from DRAFIX for all items to be imported from Europe, supplying to DRAFIX the quotes they have received ‘from other sources’. If DRAFIX gives a quotation which is cheaper or equal to other quotations they may have, they will then be required to buy from DRAFIX SERVICES LTD ”Signed France Albert Rene.”

In April 1985 two months after Rene’s circular 100% of shares in DRAFIX SERVICES LTD were held by two persons: Gerald William and Nancy Kathleen Dixson. The Dixsons were also the only shareholders of FYLDON LTD., the company that Rene claims, in his circular went into a joint venture with the regime to form DRAFIX. Were the Dixsons nominee shareholders? Can we believe the records at Company House UK or the content of the circular?

If the Seychelles Government and the Seychelles Marketing Board had gone into a joint venture with FYLDON LTD to form a new company called DRAFIX SERVICES LTD should that not be reflected in the records kept at Company House in UK?

Investigations undertaken at the time reveal there was no joint venture between the Seychelles Government through the Seychelles Marketing Board and FLYDON LTD., Hence, who is/are behind DRAFIX SERVICES LTD?

Records held at Company House in UK indicate that DRAFIX SERVICES LTD. was incorporated on 20th November 1984 and not on 1st of January 1985 as per the circular.

SMB with Albert René as one of its chairman is the local import monopolist and DRAFIX Ltd. its main overseas supplier. SMB has priority over the limited amount of hard currency available for payment to overseas suppliers. Who benefited from this set up? The b**ls breaking prices/markup by the SMB on essential goods is well documented and legendary. What a scam! The perfect case for the judiciary to “pierce the corporate veil” and to see who is the “alter ego” behind  DRAFIX SERVICES Ltd. so that they can be made personally liable for Seychelles external debt. Was there a similar set up for the company that was paid USD 4.5 Million for the construction of houses on Perseverance? Another case for our sleuth judge to pierce the corporate veil and fish out the “alter ego.”

Our unsung heroes

Our leaders created a “Bermuda Triangle” in the Indian Ocean and thereby put themselves in the same league as Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. Their actions elevated our heroes to the level of Gandhi, Mandela, Jomo Kenyatta, and Martin Luther King to name a few. Like these great men our heroes were imprisoned, murdered, tortured, and assassinated.

After thirty years of walking on the Road to Nowhere we have taken a turn that is going to change our history forever. Along that road we have encountered Seychelles Incorporated and more recently Paradise Plc. Who are the directors and shareholders? We do not want directors whose actions are veiled in secrecy. We do not want directors who kill their opponents.  We do not want directors who through their collective performance have run the country into the ground. On July 30th we, the shareholders are going to vote those directors out. Not only because they acted without our mandate, but also because they have bankrupted us. So today we remember those who walked with us because we did not walk alone.

Our unsung heroes numbered thousands, at the last count 46% of the electorate. Heroes because they dare to stand up for their rights and their beliefs, dare to raise their voices, dare to openly participate in political rallies knowing what the personal consequences could be.

Inspiration for the courage of our unsung heroes can only be attributable to the Holy Spirit. Do not allow yourselves to be swayed by the JJ Spirit. We see enough swaying/zigzagging after the SPPF rallies. It is hoped that part of the SPPF presidential campaign funds will be allocated to Mont Royale to help it deal with those who partake too liberally of the JJ spirit.

Today I pay tribute to our heroes and I extend this tribute to JJ’s campaign team who either through divine inspiration or the JJ Spirit decided to print James Michel’s presidential election poster photograph against a green background. A picture speaks a thousand words. The SPPF logo for the last two elections has been two interlocking hearts (“leker dan leker”). This time, they have lost one of their hearts (“En leker pour tou Seselwa”). Are we witnessing a half-hearted campaign?

Here’s to our unsung heroes

July 14, 2006