There has recently been a lot of debate on the subject of racism in Seychelles where there have been a lot of fingers pointed at the Mouvman Seselwa Rasin, led by Chrsitopher Gill. The Mouvman Seselwa Rasin, literally translated "Seychelles Roots Movement" have been critical to the government's policies regarding giving certain foreigners, both powerful and not so powerful, special rights compared to Seychellois. Foreigners have in recent years been able to literally purchase Seychellois citizenship or obtain it through dodgy and rather secretive ways well hidden from the public.
The one that has gotten most focus is undoubtedly Sheik Khalifa of the UAE who in addition to having been given a plot of land(well, he actually had to pay the net sum of about USD 0.2 for it) at the location of the previous US tracking station at La Misère, a mountain community 10 minutes drive from the capital Victoria. Khalifa has not only been given valuable land, but also a bunch of priveleges along with it. Amongst these are tax free import of the construction materials for the 7 story palace he is building, free import of a 2000 man workforce that has by-passed immigration and free import of expensive SUVs. All those have caused the small republic to lose millions of dollars in duty that could have helped a great deal to its shattered economy. If all that wasn't enough, the straw that broke the camel's back were the pollution scandals at the construction site where first diesel polluted a drinking water source followed by human excrements that leaked from the toilets at the site. The pollution case has been taken to court, but dragging of feet have so far had no impact on the polluter and the compensation sum is still being argued about. So far the only one who has felt any form of reaction from the Seychelles authorities is the contractor doing the work, this after recieving a relatively minor fine under the Pollution Act, undoubtedly a fine dealt out for symbolic reasons.
Sheik Khalifa is one of many foreigners in Seychelles who have been given special rights and immunity against the law that is supposed to apply for all Seychellois. Other well known new Seychellois are Dr Vatinasamy Ramadoss, an Indian physician who arrived in Seychelles owning the clothes he was wearing and a pair of flip flops. Ramadoss was quickly adopted by the former president France Albert Rene who put him under his wings and paved the way making Ramadoss one of the country's richest. Other familiar new Seychellois, named 'Fabrike'(translated: fabricated) by the Seychellois Roots Movement are the Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir, known for his connections with the mafia and ends up in the media for that very reason wherever he goes. Another 'fabricated' Seychellois is the rather sensitive Marc Jeyasingh, another Indian who is alledged to have helped white-wash money on behalf of certain government officials.
The Seychellois born, called 'Rasin'(translated: roots) have in other words had more than enough reasons for feeling neglected by their own government with regards to priveleges given to foreigners when they themselves feel reduced to second rate citizens in their own country. This grabbed the attention of Christopher Gill, a Seychellois born lawyer and previous MNA who spent a good deal of his life in the USA controlled island of Guam in the Pacific before returning home with international experience and US citizenship. Christopher Gill has, together with his brother Leonard Francis Gill, been the driving force behind STAR Seychelles, a blog page where actualities are brought up, mostly critic of the SPPF/PL government. The blog page has been active for several years, but only recently took off completely in popularity and number of visits not to mention participants in the sometimes rather hot political debates.
Increased criticism of the SPPF/PL government has naturally led to a counterreaction from the party and their supporters where Christopher Gill has been accused of promoting racism through the Seychellois Roots Movement who denies any involvement in racism, but promotes a strong support for the Seychellois and the taking back of the land given away to foreigners(and nationals) in dodgy and illegal deals made with the corrupt government. I our modern day where Globalism has become a trend and to an extent a necessity, it is easy to see that a movement that is promoting and protecting its people is seen to be racist. Recently signs have been put up along the La Misere road near the site of Khalifa's palace where there have been written slogans like "Arabs go home", "We won't drink shitty Arab water again" and similar. Naturally the PL will use the racism screen against the Seychellois Roots Movement in the coming election campaign, saying that they are racists, but before doing so the PL should turn the history books back 3-1/2 decades to the same spot the slogans hang today outside where the US tracking station once was. Only then they read 'Yankees go home'. Only then they were hung up there upon orders from the father of the PL, France Albert Rene.
If there is an increase in racial hate in Seychelles it is certainly not the fault of Christopher Gill or the "Mouvman Seselwa Rasin', but the sole fault of the PL government who have literally surpressed the Seychellois and sold of Seychelles to any Tom Dick and Harry with bog enough wallets to pay off politicians and purchase Seychellois citizenship, some even with diplomatic immunity.
Today’s Nation contains an article where the Seychellois are asked to take great care in preserving water and not wasting it by for instance not watering their lawns, showering briefly and even not letting the tap run when brushing teeth. The same article however, fails to mention huge building projects that are consuming large amounts of water to take care not to spill. The same article does not mention a word about swimming pools etc. The PL government is literally asking the people to wash themselves downstream in the same river that the more fortunate have already washed themselves in.
And we wonder why the man on the street is enraged and posts up posters saying we refuse to wash in your dirty water? And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing the last 30+ years all thanks to the SPUP, SPPF and now the PL. Of course it's convenient to blame the Mouvman Seselwa Rasin for it. God forbid if they, the PL, saw their own faults.
Patrick X
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14 comments:
You are damn right people are sensitive to being maliciously defamed.
You are damn right people are sensitive to your lies and Nazi terminology.
Tell me how a person who comes to a land as a child, grows up there, marries a born local and has two children with them, works there for more than 5 years and is naturalised as a citizen is "Fabricated"?
By that same token, Mark Hoareau (alleged to be Patrick X), Christopher Gill and Leonard Francis Gill are Fabricated Americans who see an opportunity to import red-neck racism into Seychelles.
Tell us what are the specific allegations of white washing are that you level against one of your examples? So far Leonard Francis Gill has admitted that it is just his malicious opinion because he worked at a bank and dares to criticise the Nazi MSR creed.
Admit that this person would not even get a mention were it not for his criticism of the supposedly holier than holy shit MSR creed. A creed that is designed to incite racial and communal hatred and violence while keeping your hands clean.
You may not be responsible for the existence of racism in the supposedly democracy loving Seychellois opposition, but you damn well are for fanning it, fueling it and exploiting it.
Just as you are responsible for inciting death threats.
- Name witheld, just like you withold yours.
Quote from your earlier blog:
"Rasinism has become a popular term and as said above it is defended as a patriotic term, but to the opinion of many, myself included, it is closer related to racism rather than patriotism.
Rasinism/Racism must not under any circumstances be tolerated "
PL are kouyons (translated: idiots)
to the first comment, reproduction with a local wife is not grounds for citizenship.
if it were, have no doubt that the arabs would be happy to oblige.
To Anonymous(1st reply):
There are several ways of being fabricated, but foremost when one buys a passport by paying off the right people to get special rights. Seychellois born do not get special rights, Fabrikes do wether or not they have kids with locals or not. I myself have kids with 2 different nationalities, bu that doesn't make me a national of either countries does it now?
The Gills are naturalized Americans as I am a naturalized European national gained by living in our respective countries long enough without commiting criminal offences or bribing our way to the top. We achieved ours through hard work and determination. Now what dis the likes of Krejcir do to deserve their Seychelles passport? What did Jeyasingh do? Ramadoss(we know what he did)?
If you read the creed you will see that is it not racial in any way. Racial is what is going on in India between the Sikhs and Hindus, what is going on in Sril Lanka between the Tamils and Sengalese. That's racism. What we are promoting is patriotism. Nobody minds the hard working Indian or the hard working Kenyan, Filipino etc. What we do mind is people who bribe their way in. So if you are not such a person then you have nothing to fear now do you?
As said in my article, the one promoting racism is the PL itself and that is racism against its own people who are demoted and held away from the jobs they prefer to give to foreigners they can control. A Seychellois has a mind of his/her own unlike many expats who have the mind of whoever pays most.
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To Anonymous(2nd reply):
Thank you for you reply and opinion. Yes, I did see the rasinism closer to racism rather than patriotism, but as you can see the blog was written a while ago and much has happened then and my opinion has changed as my respect for the Gills accordingly since they have convinced me that rasinism is not racism, but pure patriotism. Remember that back in the 70s we cried 'yankees go home' whilst today we welcome the yankees to help us fight 'those bloody Somalis'. Racism you said? There is a saying in Seychelles that goes 'Sa lalang ki bat souvan pou pas dan fes set fwa'. It applies to more than myself I dare admit.
To Anonymous(3rd reply):
The PL are not kouyon by any means whatsoever, they are devious and sly, hence the reason they have managed to stay in power for so long. I would characterize them as competent(ref the mess we're in), but far from kouyon.
Anonymous(4th reply):
I disagree, the Arabs would touch ou local women as they'd find them too low. Arabs like pale white women from Russia and surrounding countries. Trust me on that one. If you think the creed is racist, just wait till you get to know the Arabs.
Patrick X
I wouldn't say it's racist, just very clumsily formulated, obviously not done by people with good knowledge of politics.
Inesse
The Gills are naturalized Americans as I am a naturalized European national gained by living in our respective countries long enough without commiting criminal offences or bribing our way to the top. We achieved ours through hard work and determination. Now what dis the likes of Krejcir do to deserve their Seychelles passport? What did Jeyasingh do? Ramadoss(we know what he did)?
Patrick X,
Instead of believing everything the Gills say and stereotyping all naturalised Seychellois let me answer one of your questions.
What Did Jeyasingh Do? Do you know? I doubt it. I do.
Mark Jeyasingh. Came to Seychellois as a child. His father was foreign civil servant at aviation Seychelles. Mark spent most of his childhood in Seychelles. Went to Seychelles College then Polytechnic. After completing his A levels went to study. Unlike many other naturalised Seychellois he was not on a Seychelles scolarship. After completing his studies returned to Seychelles to work in the private sector. He was resposnible for bringing the first ATM and getting card services in Seychelles set up. He married a Seychellois and have children together. Like you have in europe and the gills did in US he applied for seychelles citizenship. His grounds for application were being married to a Seychellois and having spent most of his life in Seychelles.
Are you telling me that does not justify him becoming a seychellois citizen. If not well then neither should you or the gills become citizens of a european country or America. Only when you denounce yours can you call for his to be revoked or challenge it.
I hope I have answered your question Mr patrick X so In future before you ask questions make sure you know the facts.
If any of you can prove me wrong i leave the challenge to you.
Fair enough anonymous. Despite not being Seychellois born if your facts are correct I don't see why that blonde Indian can't qualify to carry a Seychelloise passport, but I still don't see him as a Seychellois, especially being the corrupt so-and-so that he is going around pressuring the Gills to find out my true ID. Now tell me why a patriot would do such a thing? And you wonder why I don't see him as a Seychellois? Sorry to say this, but once Indian always Indian till the day they die. That's in the blood and a change of passport won't change the fact that the likes of him are loyal to whoever pays most.
Now Jeyasingh is one that gained his citizenship after growing up in Seychelles like the Gills gained theirs growing up in USA. Now how about all the others who didn't grow up in Seychelles, the ones like Krejcir, Ramadoss and all the other pieces of dirt that have been allowed to become 'Seychellois' after 'investing' in 'Seychelles'?
Can you prove me wrong that most of these are merely pieces of dirt that are escaping the law in various countries after being taken into our safe haven by the SPPF/PL government?
If you can prove me wrong I leave the challenge to you.
Patrick,
I did not defend Kerjcir or ramadoss. Yes i agree a lot of people got their passport in illegal ways but as I said we should not stereotype which is what the Gills are doing.
Secondly you cannot prove Mark guilty of any corruption. Yes he worked at Nouvobanq. Does that mean every person at Nouvobanq is corrupt and is washing dirty money.
How many people have the Gills pressured in to revealing their ID me included in reply to comments i and many others have posted on Star and MSR facebook page. They do that to all those that disagree with their ideaology. Now tell me why would the patriotic Gills do such a thing?
Patrick X, I am not SPPF. Never have been never will be. However I beleive that the Gills are not the way forward for Seychelles. Francis is now claiming plans to assasinate him have been put in place by the PP. He is trying to become the martyr that he is not and seek sympathy from Seychellois.
The PP have people who pose a more serious threat to their hold on power than Francis Gill. Surely you are intelligent enough not to buy that one.
Patrick, I forgot to add to my last post. Happy Independence day.
Funny, the Gills never pressured me to reveal my ID when I was roasting them left, right and centre. I was surprized that they didn't censor my posts, a deed that gained respect.
I believe in the Gills as a potential alternative to the PL, this mainly due to the fact that the SNP is useless and 100% pro-PL. This again means that they have failed the people who have been supporting them since the multi-party system was re-introduced(note: re-introduced after Rene was pressured to do so from our life support systems).
Now, hypothetically speaking, do you think that the PL are capable of setting up an assasination plot to 'get rid' of a potential opponent? Bear in mind that they have done so before(you know who I'm talking about) and will do anything to grasp on to power. So if Francis Gill fears for his life after recieving threats then I sincerely believe it. FYI: this is news for me as I wasn't aware of it, but I am not at all surprized.
Now for a little thought experiment: What do you tink would be the consequence for many PL tops if the party was to lose power in the next election? Would any of them have a reason to stay in power at all costs even if it means taking the life of countrymen?
If your answer is YES, are you then still wondering why so many of us will not use our real names here on on any political forum discussing Seychelles politics?
Happy Independence Day you say! Are we independent? ID was to celebrate independence as a nation that could decide over its own self. I can't see that today I'm afraid as oure independence ended on June 5th 1977.
Patrick X
Patrick
Funny, the Gills never pressured me to reveal my ID when I was roasting them left, right and centre. I was surprized that they didn't censor my posts, a deed that gained respect
Did they not accuse you of being Pat Pillay, Patrick Herminie, Rene the Butcher Parti lepep etc.. That was a trick to convince you to reveal your identity. I have been reading your posts for a long time and noticed that you have deleted all the attacks against you made by the gills. Did you censor theirs. Do you not beleive in freedom of speech??
So if Francis Gill fears for his life after recieving threats then I sincerely believe it. FYI: this is news for me as I wasn't aware of it, but I am not at all surprized.
This is according to his statehouse informants. The same ones that told Him AsSeychellois Asweare was PP. Now he has changed his tune and calling him Wavel. same ones who said DK smith had bennefitted from JJ spirit loans. Just to try and get those people to reveal their identity. DK smith has been living in Australia for over 20 year so how can she have received a JJ spirit loan.
Also remember the accusations they laid against David Johnstone. firstly accused him of being a Regar journalist then married to a foreigner. the foreigner was then called a millionaire. He was then accused of living a luxury lifestyle in London. He proved them wrong in every instance.
These are probably the same informants that labelled you. Pat Pillay, Pat Herminie, Rene the Butcher
As we say in creole zot pe tir lwen pou tonm pre.
Are these informants reliable. Do they even exist. Judge for yourself
Who will they accuse next
They did speculate in my ID as I have speculated in many peoples' IDs, but never have anby of them forced or try to force me to reveal it. As a matter of fact to this day none of the Gills know my true ID despite various posts on STAR written by yours truly.
But yes, I do believe in freedom of speech and my freedom of speech has been respected by the Gills and for that I respect them.
Patrick X
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