TRNUC Victims Association thanks President Ramkalawan for apology |26 February 2024
The Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission’s Association of Victims have thanked President Wavel Ramkalawan for his apology to victims of the 1977 Coup D’Etat, during his State-of-the-Nation address on Thursday evening.
On behalf of all victims, the association conveyed gratitude to President Ramkalawan, for the courageous gesture, in bringing closure to victims who are still alive.
During the State-of-the-Nation, President Ramkalawan expressed remorse for Seychelles' past, urging all victims to accept the state's apology and join efforts for national unity, reconciliation, and perpetual truth-seeking.
“I want to express regret for all that has happened, all the suffering which our nation went through during these dark years,” the Head of State said.
In a press release issued on Friday, the association further thanked former President Danny Faure for publicly seeking forgiveness from the family of Berard Jeannie, a police officer who was gunned down during the 1977 coup d’Etat.
Former President Faure did so during a gathering with Mr. Jeannie’s siblings at the State House in March 2018.
The association described the leaders’ actions as imperative in bringing closure to the horrific period in Seychelles’ history.
With the aim of discussing possible solutions for compensation, the association will be holding a meeting at the ICCS on March 15. Both President Ramkalawan and Speaker of the National Assembly Roger Mancienne have been invited to be guest speakers at the event.
“All necessary parameters, compensations and conditions have been set in law so there is now no more to discuss and agree or disagree, we just implement the law as defined by the TRNUC Report as handed over to the President on March 31, 2023”, the association stated.
However, President Ramkalawan during the State-of-the-Nation address highlighted the need for collective solutions to address compensation, calling on citizens to make recommendations.
“The sum is enormous,” he asserted, highlighting additional compensation obligations that the government are required to honour.
The TRNUC Association of Victims was launched in 2022, to advocate for closure, and the implementation of the TRNUC commission’s recommendations.
Laura Pillay