Assembly approves creation of committee on truth, reconciliation and national unity |03 November 2016

The National Assembly has unanimously approved a motion calling for the creation of an Assembly committee for truth, reconciliation and national unity which would start the ground work for the creation of a national, independent truth and reconciliation commission.

The motion was tabled by the leader of the opposition Wavel Ramkalawan.

The members who will make up the Assembly committee are François Adelaide, Nicholas Prea, Bernard Georges and Wavel Ramkalawan from the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa while the Parti Lepep members are Basil Hoareau, Simon Gill, and Charles de Commarmond.

Mr Ramkalawan said the idea behind the motion follows:

- the degree of importance being attached by all leaders in the country recently on the issue of unity and national reconciliation, 

- the opportunity that the National Assembly election has provided  our people to  address the matter in an honest and open manner,

- the fact that almost 40 years following the coup d’état in 1977, there are still people who are suffering as a result of certain incidents and events which happened over these years.

Mr Ramkalawan said among its objectives the committee would:

- study different tools and methodology adopted by other countries to come up with a model suitable for Seychelles;

- propose a structure to government which would study and analyse complaints by individuals affected with the aim of shedding light on those events which have taken place in the recent history of our country and that once and for all the truth will come out and those affected will find a solution and peace and closure to their suffering to allow the country to move forward with confidence in the future;

- make recommendations on policies which would be adopted and action that could be taken to reduce political division in the country for national unity to foster.

Mr Ramkalawan noted that the committee will also through discussions with concerned authorities develop and put in place the necessary legal framework to set up an independent truth and reconciliation commission which will then take on the work from the Assembly committee.

In a detailed presentation on the motion, Mr Ramkalawan explained why almost 40 years after the coup d’état it is important that the truth be known about many cases of Seychellois citizens dying and disappearing mysteriously, being thrown into prison without reasons or fair trial and many Seychellois being forced into exile because of fear for their lives in view of their different political opinion.

Among the people whom Mr Ramkalawan cited and who were detained without trial in 1978 were Robert Frichot, Mickey Mason, Carlette Tall, Owen Hoareau, Felix Hoareau, Winnie Adeline, among others. 

He noted it was these kinds of events which started to create bitterness among the families and people affected on one side and on the other side it destroyed unity and created division among our people.

Among those who died and whose cause of death are shrouded in mystery, Mr Ramkalawan cited Berard Jeannie, Francis Rachel, Simon Denousse, Davidson Chang-Him and among those who disappeared are Alton Ah-Time, a case which was recently back in the limelight following the discovery of a human skull at Beau Vallon which many people was hoping would be his.

He said many families are still asking questions, seeking answers and looking for the truth and grieving the loss of their loved ones.

Mr Ramkalawan stressed that the period in our history following the coup in 1977 has been one full of sad events and upheavals which to date are still causing suffering and division among our people.

“As a nation in order to move forward we need to know the truth and I believe we need to move towards restorative justice – a model adopted by South Africa – which is very important and will allow us to know the truth, deal with it, let people know about it and then move forward,” Mr Ramkalawan said.

Mr Ramkalawan said Seychelles needs truth, reconciliation and national unity to find closure and move forward.

Members of both sides intervened on the motion and they all agreed that Seychelles as a country and its people need national unity and reconciliation to close the chapter on a painful and sensitive past in which many families have lost loved ones and need to find some form of justice to find closure on their pain before they can move on.

But a member of Parti Lepep pointed out that at the same time people should not forget that part of our history which is related to our fight for independence, our liberation, fight for social justice, and the development and achievements it has brought to our country and our people.

In his summing up Mr Ramkalawan said in general he is satisfied with the quality of the debate on the motion by members of both parties.

He said it is time Seychelles start the process to give closure on such a painful chapter of our history which is still causing a lot of suffering among many families and political bitterness.