Troukler - Violence can only beget violence

TROUKLER

Violence can only beget violence

President Michel this week took the trouble to appeal for peace and calm last Tuesday as the National Assembly resumed its normal business. He also called for an Official Inquiry into the incident which fuelled violence in Victoria last Tuesday. The graphic pictures published in “Weekly” and “Regar” last week clearly depicted that the SNP leadership and supporters were the ones who were the victims of violence and police brutality. Both Mr. Ramkalawan and Jean-Francois Ferrari were seen drenched in blood and were admitted in Victoria Hospital for medical treatment.

This paper last week pointed out that President Michel had missed a golden opportunity to show “true statesmanship” when upon his return to the country and after barely catching his breath resorted to what may considered as “cheap politicking” with calls such as “Les JJ travay” “zot swaf pouwar” and “esper 5 an zot ava ganny eleksyon”. This was seen as un-presidential and out of character for President Michel. It was clearly a “faux pas”. Since being elected President earlier this year, he has strived to portray himself as a “moderate” and a person more inclined to dialogue, tolerance and reforms. We do not know if the more seasoned Albert Rene has advised James Michel to change his stance but his appeal on SBC TV on Monday evening is more in line with the Democratic Party’s call for National Reconciliation and is welcomed by the Diaspora.

In a new development last week “Isola Bella” reported that Percy Ah-Mane and Maryse Berloius have registered the name “Freedom Radio” as their own with the Registrar General which means that no one can use that name in future. This adds insult to injury and was obviously prompted by the SNP’s clear intention to use this name as their own in the event that they were successful in obtaining a licence to operate a radio station.

THE SEYCHELLES NATION IS AN EXTENSION OF “THE PEOPLE” PUBLICATION

The ‘Seychelles Weekend Nation’ in its issue No. 40 last Saturday (14/10/2006) published an article under the heading Political Radio Debate, entitled ‘The perpetrators and the propagators’. The writer of that particular piece is most welcomed to his/her point of view, especially in a country purporting to be contributing to freedom of expression (?).

However, the Seychelles Nation, which is state-controlled and owned, cannot allow individuals to hide their identity when expressing views of a controversial nature, which is highly political in its content – unless of course the opinion expressed is shared by the editorial board. If the new Editor of the ‘Nation’ allows certain individuals to publish political article(s) under the ‘contributed’ concept, then he must apply the same rule to everyone in the country. It is now clear that since the departure of Mr. Denis Rose, the ‘Seychelles Nation’ has lost its direction and is charting a frivolous agenda serving the political purpose of the ruling party and it is fast becoming an extension of ‘The People’ newspaper, the official mouthpiece of the SPPF.

The ‘Seychelles Nation’ as a newspaper must be serving the public in a way that is informative and impartial providing news and informing on the daily activities of government. Clear distinctions must be made between Government affairs and the business of the Ruling party, in order not to promote the political objectives of the SPPF or any other particular group. The public’s interest is best served and achieved when the reporting is based on the affairs of State rather than on promoting a particular point of view and allowing the writer(s) to hide their identity. Any individual wanting to express his/her personal political opinion through the ‘Seychelles Nation’ must be clearly identified. We are hoping that the new Editor will take our concerns onboard preventing the daily in becoming overwhelmingly biased to the detriment of its readers.