The Rising Sun has suddenly turned the spotlight back onto the Indian community in Seychelles in an article, which featured in the newspaper on Tuesday 15th July 2008 under the title ‘Are Indians in Seychelles United or Divided’, the Rising Sun insinuated that there exists a division in the local Indian Community. The hue and cry from The Rising Sun is about the simple matter of the registration of a new association by the name of ‘Indian Association of Seychelles’. It is very clear from the article that if there is anyone guilty of inciting division within the local Indian community – it is the people behind the front page article, which appeared in The Rising Sun on Tuesday July 22, 2008. In our view there is nothing seriously bad, in fact nothing wrong at all if anyone or any group no matter how small the grouping is to register an association as long as it is all done in accordance with the laws of Seychelles. The editor of The Rising Sun is looking more and more like an idiot with each day that passes; she is allowing other people to use her for the furtherance of their own greedy ambitions. This article has brought shame needlessly upon the Indian community in Seychelles. It goes as far as speculating viciously the formation of another political party, “it will be the first Indian origin political party”, they wrote. What a nasty piece of work orchestrated by people hiding behind a cloak of honesty and integrity. We all know who the people behind this move are. This is a move by people shrouded in muck up to their neck. This is the move of a desperate individual or individuals who are scared of losing out in the battle to have control over the local Indian community.
This issue is one that is very sensitive with the natives. Seychelles is a cosmopolitan country made up of people from all over the globe; we have a very sophisticated set up here where race is concerned. We are very apprehensive that at this stage of our cultural and ethnic evolution suddenly the migrants make a move as it has happened in Fiji to take over political control of the country. Now The Rising Sun is telling us that this is a real possibility. This is not responsible journalism, this is incitement at its worst being stimulated by so-called responsible individuals, who are suppose to be respected members of our society, shame! This is also not the first time that The Rising Sun has implied the formation of a political party by Seychellois of Indian origin. Earlier this year again in a front page article The Rising Sun threatened that we should not tempt Doctor Ramadoss into entering politics, this threat many are taking it seriously. Now we have further proof if proof was ever needed that the threat is genuine. We are therefore appealing to the Indian High Commissioner, Mr. Asit Kumar Nag to intervene personally before it gets to a point of open warfare between the different Indian factions; namely the Indo Seychelles Friendship Association, the Seychelles Tamil Cultural Development Centre, Seychelles Tamil Mandram, Seychelles Hindu Kovil Sangan, Sanskrithi and the Hindu Council of Seychelles. We firmly believe that the registration of the ‘Indian Association of Seychelles’ is not a political organization. However other people who feels threatened for reasons known to themselves are making it out to be something it is not and this is where the danger lies.
The possibility of a turf war locally by Seychellois with foreign origins is evidently possible; between Russians, South Africans, Arabs, Chinese and now it seems according to The Rising Sun even from our peaceful Indian friends. If nothing is done by the local authority to prevent the likelihood of it happening, one day we might regret for standing by and doing nothing.