The stage is being set for national acrimony

The National Assembly is fast becoming the major source of rancor for the population. Many people who voted for change now doubt their decision. The National Assembly is descending along the path of what could easily be termed a dangerous situation. There is no way to know how it will end!! There is a real possibility for things to get out of control and instead of healing old wounds fresh ones will open up and the healing process stretch over a longer period.

There is no doubt that many many crimes against the people have been committed during the one party era and also several years into the Third Republic – and the truth is that thousands of people in one way or another is responsible for these crimes. So, how are we going to handle this very precarious matter? The way that the National Assembly Members are going about this business is like trying to put out a fire by throwing benzene at it. This will create a most volatile condition.

When the Editor of this newspaper was placed under political detention in 1982 under the orders of former President Rene – Philip Boulle was one of the detainees as well; Mr. James Pillay was the Commissioner of Police – Volcere was taken to his office one morning at around 10.30am, he was already drunk – he was red in the face like a bottle of Johnny Walker. He told Volcere that if it was up to him: “en larivyer disan ti pou koule” (a river of blood will be made to flow) – he pointed to a gun on his desk and said that he will not hesitate to use this gun if he had to…. He also pointed to a red telephone on his desk and said that if he lifted the receiver and make a call all the people involved will disappear.

“Gerard Hoareau, you want to see Gerard Hoareau, you will never see Gerard Hoareau again”, he said. Gerard Hoareau we know was assassinated in London on the orders of Albert Rene. Volcere was finally taken back to his holding cell at the Victoria Police Station and subsequently transferred to the Glacis Police Station for prolong custody.

One evening at around 10pm Bernard Racombo who is now working as driver/bodyguard to former President James Mancham came to fetch Volcere in a police van from the Glacis Police Station – on the way down to Victoria he warned Volcere, who was only 22yrs old at the time that they were waiting for him at the police HQ. When Volcere got there he was taken into an office where Ibrahim Afif and the police chiefs were waiting and Volcere was forced to give an interview to Afif. Part of that interview was broadcast over ‘Radio Sesel” to humiliate Volcere.

The father of Flory Larue was also in the police force at the time. He too persecuted his fair share of people – one of the sons of James Pillay, was also a police officer at the time, he too had his fair share of allegations made against him.

We have recounted this story here to provide a sample of the situation back then. In 2016 Patrick Pillay (brother of James Pillay) is Speaker; Stephan Pillay (son of James Pillay and brother of Jeff Pillay) is the MNA for Au Cap. Ahmed Afif (brother of Ibrahim Afif) is also an opposition MNA – so how do we reconcile this situation? How does Volcere get closure?

Of course the truth must be told, it will help to make sure that these kinds of things never happen again. Volcere is at peace with himself. He is already reconciled with the Pillay(s) and the Afif(s) he considers them to be friends and he is not looking for any compensation or retribution in any manner or form.

Note: The incidents recounted above are only a little fraction of what Volcere had to endure under the SPUP/SPPF/PL regime. He has forgiven them in the spirit of national reconciliation.

Independent

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