Editorial
The Asianisation of Seychelles
Many people have contacted this paper this week to express concern about the Asian invasion of our country since the SPPF has been in power. In the days prior to Independence Mr. Rene and the SPUP were vociferous and outspoken in their strong views that “Seychelles is for Seychellois”, appealing to nationalistic fervour and whipping emotions against not only white British colonial administrators but also against so-called Indian merchants.
However, the SPPF propaganda today has remained suspiciously quiet on the issue as a colony of Asians who have come to Seychelles in the last 30 years, initially to find employment and escape the poverty trap in their own countries. Most were employed in the state sector or with commercial entities generally associated with the SPPF. These people have gradually been given citizenship and have showed more allegiance to the SPPF than any other political party since the multiparty system was introduced. Most of the powerful and middle management posts in Seychelles are now occupied by naturalized Asians.
During the presidential election campaign last year, the former president Sir James R. Mancham expressed concern over the issue and suggested that we should adopt similar policies as Dubai, where immigrant workers are accepted on a fixed term contract. At the end of their contract, they have to leave the country. They are not given citizenships. Lest they forget, these people are guests in our country and should not, under any circumstances, be granted the privilege of citizenships.
The recent immigrant Asian community in Seychelles is beginning to show signs that they are not just content with citizenships and economic power but are beginning to agitate for more political power. This paper has learnt that there is at least one Asian lawyer, a recent arrival who has been granted citizenship, who has gone as far as personally writing to the President suggesting that he be appointed Chairman of the Public Service Appeal Board (PSAB) after news leaked that Mr. John Renaud, the current Chairman, will not be reappointed after 15 years of exemplary service.
This post is a very powerful one indeed and also commands a high salary. Both the Attorney General and the Chief Justice, for instance, occupy powerful posts in our country. The former is a Sri Lankan national who is on a contract with government. He has applied for and obtained citizenship for one of his children who subsequently was granted a scholarship to study in the United Kingdom. The latter is a Mauritian national who arrived during the one-party state with a law degree, served as a magistrate, later made Chief Justice, and given citizenship. One of his children too was granted a scholarship to study in the UK even though he did not grow up in Seychelles or went to school here.
Although Seychelles has an exemplary record of racial harmony and tolerance, there are now signs that people are becoming more concerned about the issues of race and national origins. Last week in our editorial, for example, we drew attention to the attitude of some of our Customs and Immigration Officers towards people of African origin who are prejudiced when they apply for a visitor’s visa on arrival. This week in the 8 O’clock news on SBC we learnt that two Nigerians are to be deported on Sunday and are currently in jail after they overstayed their visa by two months. Interestingly, these two young men were given only a 3 day visa upon arrival at the Seychelles International Airport. This surprised many as normally a visitor is allowed to stay up to one month or according to the validity of the return ticket, whichever comes first.
This is yet more proof, if proof was ever needed, that our African brothers are given a raw deal while those arrivals of Asian origin are treated with understanding and privileges of easy citizenship. In the National Assembly this week one SPPF MNA, Marie-Antoinette Rose, made reference to a satirical comment in this newspaper, that the Speaker, Doctor Patrick Herminie, finally got his warped wish when he got a white man (Bernard Georges) to apologise to him in the National Assembly. Ms Rose at first insinuated and then blatantly accused this paper of having a racist agenda. As the saying goes, it takes one to know one.
However, we feel that the time is ripe for an open and honest debate on issues of race and colour in our community, as racism is actively practiced by some “communities” in Seychelles although not overtly. Many are concerned that our hitherto multiracial harmony is being adversely infected by a disease, which has affected many countries in Europe – communalism, based on the notion of multiculturalism. Anyone who inhabits our society should integrate with and find affinity with the culture they find, not the one they arrive with.
Even in America now as the presidential election contest gets under way many are asking if America is ready for a black president as Barak Obama seems to have created quite a stir. There is now a real likelihood that Obama may become America’s first black president. In the latest issue of Newsweek, Obama is pictured on the front page with the headline: Black & White: How Barack Obama is Shaking Up Old Assumptions. On the inside pages of the same magazine another headline asks: Is Barack Obama Black Enough? If America is not frightened to face up to its race issue why should we?
