TWO AK47 VERSUS A GREEN UMBRELLA!

For every step forward that our society makes we are taking two backwards in certain quarters. Certain people in authority just do not know how to handle their position of authority. They act as if they have been given a license to harass, persecute and abuse their position picking on the most venerable in society. They just do not know where to draw the line! The story that follows illustrate clearly the point we are trying to make….

Last Saturday two members of the Special Support Unit (SSU) in uniform armed with AK47 were observed patrolling the streets of Victoria. They were accompanied by two uniformed police officers, a man and woman dressed in the blue and white uniform that has now become recognisable as uniform for our local police force. They were accompanied by a white man carrying two flash lights (torch). We presumed they were from the visiting American war ship.

The party patrolling on foot were observed walking down Independence Avenue from the Post Office travelling towards Kingsgate House. As they reached the Seychelles Development Bank building, they came face to face with a young man sporting a blue shirt carrying a green umbrella coming from the opposite direction. The young man did not exhibit any threatening behaviour – at least to this observer’s eyes. But, he might as well have been in a lion’s den considering what happened next.

The uniformed male police officer suddenly pounced, blocking the young man’s path preventing him from advancing any further. The two SSU officers circled their young prey with evil intent on their collective faces. It could have been a scene from the streets of Baghdad, but it was happening right here on our door steps in peaceful, paradise Seychelles in the presence of an American navy officer.

The questioning came fast and furious from the Seychellois officers. Our intrepid  young friend looked visibly shaken and disturbed by the impromptu sidewalk  interrogation. If it was not for the intervention of a passer-by the young man could well have ended up in jail for doing absolutely nothing and possibly after being assaulted. His crime by the looks of it was simply carrying a green umbrella and sporting a blue shirt. The young man could have hardly caused a revolution with an umbrella. The system, it seems is fearful, scared perhaps a repetition of the very action they orchestrated 31 yrs ago – that they are now frighten of an innocent umbrella manufactured in The People’s Republic of China! “Zot per zot lonbraz!”

(Contributed) 

July 06, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles