Editorial

Moving Towards A Thugocracy

As the First Anniversary of the October 3rd, 2006 brutal assault and violent public beating of the Leader of the Opposition and his supporters within the precincts of the National Assembly, approaches,it is a good time to take into account how much progress we have made in enshrining democratic values in our society or in the alternative, ask each other if we are in fact in a Thug-o-cracy, hereinafter spelled “Thugocracy”.

A Thugocracy is wherein the Rule of Law is not the final Judge, but thugs are. Thugs are placed in key positions in society, and they become the final Judge. In Thugocracies, the Constitution of a Country, no matter what nice words and poems may be written, does not have much value in practice, for it’s Citizens. It is common in Thugocracies to have Thugs in charge of key national apparatus. These People are answerable to no one under the Separation of Powers Doctrine. Instead, they are answerable only to the “Boss”. He may be in Government, or he may be out of Government.

In Seychelles, the Boss houses his office in a bunker at Maison Du Peuple secured with automatic gates, armed men. He goes to work each day by motorcade. You would think he is the President. He is not. But he is.

The President works for him, but he does not. Hence, the Public misunderstanding of who is really in charge of the place. Thugs are in charge. The confusion creates a shadow to allow them to do what they want, usurping the sacred democratic principles of Separation of Powers Doctrine, which must be respected if you want the credibility of a Democracy label on your Country. They disregard the Rule of Law when it is convenient to do so. They delay Justice when they want. They make Justice speedy as fast as a bullet, or a slice of a knife, when it is convenient and expeditous. When they do not like what is written, their printing companies run out of paper or ink.

Examples of Thugocracy are all around us. The Police believe they are the law. They are not. They are enforcers of the law. They use hit squads and call them “Special Forces”, to hunt down thieves and dangerous individuals. As with Robin Henriette, they shot him 25 times it is reported, and no charge for even manslaughter has been brought by the Attorney General. There are many other murders over the last year. There have been torture victims being found behind Eden Island Resort Project. There have been dead bodies as a result of poisoning and stabbings allegedly involving State Security, But there have been no charges.

Most recently the Police, which is run by an Army Officer, denied the SNP the right to assemble to commemorate the October 3 2006 violent attacks on themselves and our democratic institutions. The Commissioner, acting like a Thug, said it was in the National Interest to deny a peaceful Assembly. It is never in the National Interest to curtail constitutional recognized rights which are our birthright as human beings.The Commissioner of Police has drawn a dangerous line, which we must cross if we are to safeguard our rights and salvage any quest for democracy which we have in this Thugocracy. This line will make or break democracy in Seychelles.

In Thugocracies, each little Boss becomes executioner and dictator in his department. Thugocracies breed arrogance, contempt and lack of respect for other Branches of Government. Recently, the Chief Justice bombarded the Court of Appeals for it’s rulings, an outlandish comical attack you will never find in any Democracy, worthy of such title. Lower Courts are inferior to Higher Courts. The Chief Justice is “Chief” of a Lower Court. Justice Francis Macgregor is the President of a Higher Court. If the Chief Justice does not respect the Bench above him, who will respect him? Surely not the Security personnel from State House.

During the year we also saw the antics of the new Speaker of the National Assembly. He conducted himself in the National Assembly like a big Boss there. But he finished off looking much smaller in the eyes of the People across the Country, across party lines. He belittled the value of debate. Ridiculed elected MNA’s, a title he no longer could garnish with his name on the Ballot Box. By reducing the stature of the National Assembly before the Public, he has taken the October 3rd violent attacks on the Leader of the Opposition and his antics to ensure we do maintain a Thugocracy in Seychelles.He has done little to nothing to show Seychelles is not otherwise. Today, our National Assembly is suspended from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), a status that only adds to our validity to our Thugocracy, and shows we are moving backwards in achieving democracy in Seychelles.

Finally, in the Executive, The Boss there too acts like a Thug. He opens and closes his town office at a whim. He fires qualified workers without Notice, without regard for the livelihood of these families. He rotates Ministers as often as he changes socks and he says this is his “Style”. He says anything he wants and the People are not suppose to hold him to his word or believe him, because, he will say the opposite next week. Well, Democracy does not expect you to have a “Style”, you must “Style” yourself for Democracy. Telling lies to the Public is not part of the democratic style.

If the Police does not allow a Public Assembly to commemorate the October 3rd, 2006 beatings of the Leader of the Opposition, the entire Opposition under signed, sealed Agreement, must withdraw from participating in the democratic charades SPPF is playing on the People of Seychelles and the International Community. Once done, we must call for a new Constitution to be drafted to ensure that we do not ever get a Thugocracy again, before Lehman Brothers suspends the American Express Gold Credit Cards State House and Minister of Finance love to run the bill up, in the name of the People of Seychelles.