Albert Rene issues veiled threat

ALBERT RENE ISSUES VEILED THREAT

Former President France Albert Rene has made what many consider to be an ominous but veiled threat against our multiparty democracy. Mr Rene made his threat at an SPPF rally, held on Sunday 16 July at Anse Royale.

Mr Rene was speaking in the Creole vernacular at the rally. Here is our own translation: “I would like to issue a warning those who wish to foment violence in this country. Don’t try it; don’t try to destabilise this country. But if (they) should try I would like to warn (them) that we are not afraid. I want to warn (them) that we will send them packing. This country has had 29 years of peace and this peace has given it prosperity. We will let no one disturb it.”

The threat was faithfully broadcast by SBC in its news report on Monday 17 July, designed to give Rene a wide audience. SBC has been broadcasting edited reports of all rallies on its prime time news in Creole usually selecting bits that are considered favourable to SPPF, such as making great effort to limit the viewer’s ability to assess the extent of the audience at SPPF rallies, which to their past standards have been poor.

SBC editors also carefully select which orator would be heard by television and which bits of his or her speech would be featured. Their choice, it has been obvious has been dictated with the intention depicting the SPPF speakers in good light or sending the message SPPF propagandists want. When presenting speakers at an opposition rally, the editing, while it cannot hide the extent of the crowd, is biased towards bits and pieces that could show them in a bad light. In this context, it made the speech appear incoherent or make the speaker an object of ridicule.

The reference of “those who want to foment violence” by Rene baffles everyone. Although there have been reports of a few incidents since the election campaign started on July 6, most have been SSPPF activists causing harm to SNP/DP supporters. On one occasion a known SNP activist at Pointe Larue died of stab wounds - allegedly caused by a person known to be an activist for SPPF.

Earlier in the month DP Executive member and former MNA George Bibi was assaulted by Cliff Loizeau, a known SPPF activist thug. Instead of apprehending the perpetrator of the crime the police arrested Bibi instead when he came to report the incident. Last Sunday, corrosive chemicals as well as objects that can cause severe injuries were thrown at opposition supporters returning from a rally in Glacis as they passed the SPPF St Louis branch office. One young girl received head injuries that needed stitches.

Presidential candidate Wavel Ramkalawan made it a point before the end of each SNP/DP rally to call on everyone to remain calm and behave properly on the way home even if provoked. This is a matter of record available on video tape at SBC. So far there have been no serious incidents. Ramkalwan has direct contact with the highest echelon of the police and they also have his direct number.

The decision by SBC to broadcast Mr Rene’s threat must have been designed to give it the publicity Mr Rene wanted. Why is Mr Rene making such a threat at this time, observers are asking? And who at SBC decided to broadcast it – since he is only a party leader not the presidential candidate of SPPF? To give effect to his threat Mr Rene must either use the military, the police or the National Guard. With SPPF now virtually left with women as the base of their support the party itself is unlikely to be able to cause mayhem, some observers believe.

Mr Rene’s so-called warning is ominous, however, because when he was a dictator during the one-party state, he would issue similar threats to dissidents each time he would make a speech on the occasion of the 5th June anniversary, which he calls Liberation Day. It was during the one-party state that many people disappeared. At that time there were no multiparty elections. Then Mr Rene was the only candidate of the only party allowed to exist. The people had one choice – they either voted for Rene or left the country. This year SPPF candidate Michel was shown on SBC in an angry mood, attacking former President Mancham personally. According to Michel in the bit SBC chose to broadcast, Mancham should leave the country – why did he come back to Seychelles – Michel asked?

Today, observers are at pains to interpret the threat from former president, since Mr Rene holds no official government responsibility or position in the country and the people of Seychelles have a real choice at the ballot box under our Constitution. His title as President of SPPF is not constitutionally recognised as a government post. Under the constitution Mr Rene cannot even be a candidate for the office of President of the Republic anymore. For practical purposes and in law, Rene is just an ordinary citizen.

Nor can Rene order the Commissioner of Police to arrest anyone and hold him without charge or trial, as he used to do when he was a dictator. Consequently if he is concerned about violence he should take the matter to the Commissioner of Police and to the Electoral Commissioner who must at all times act in conformity with the law of the land, observers say. The rule of law governs the conduct of our affairs today – if the Constitution is to prevail – unlike under the one-party state.

To deal with “those who want foment violence” in the manner he has described, however, Rene will have to take the law in his own hands. Is he contemplating another coup d’état when Michel loses the elections? Is not Albert Rene inciting violence observers are asking?

There are those who say that the military (or at least some within the military) will organise a coup d’état after the election results are announced. Rene continues to live within an army barrack and has military personnel as his official bodyguards. But a coup d’état would be catastrophic for the Seychelles. A military government led by a ‘Sergeant Doe’ would not be recognised by any other country in the world.

Some say, however, this is vintage Rene – the big bully of Seychelles politics – who is just about to receive his comeuppance. Mr Rene had ample opportunity to retire gracefully from Seychelles politics and save himself the humiliation – George Foreman style.

In the early part of his speech – at least the bit broadcast by SBC – Rene may have let the cat out of the bag. He accuses his opponents as “simply interested in power, money and retribution” – his usual Freudian style repost. Is Rene planning to hold the country at ransom Hezbollah style from his well fortified enclave at Anse Polite?