Extract Seychelles Nation 31.05.2012
" M. de l’Estrac, qui a été journaliste avant d’être successivement député, Maire de Beau Bassin-Rose Hill et ministre des Affaires Etrangères de son pays, est un des co-fondateurs de la COI, il y a 28 ans, avec Maxime Ferrari, Callixte d’Offay et autres.
Lors d’une rencontre avec des journalistes à la Maison Quéau de Quinssy, il a rappelé qu’après avoir été nommé chef de la diplomatie mauricienne en août 1982, il s’est rendu une semaine après aux Seychelles et à Madagascar, ceci pour souligner sa «passion pour la coopération régionale».
« Pour moi, la région devait passer avant», a-t-il dit.
Les fondations de la COI étaient jetées quelques semaines plus tard lors d’une visite de l’ancien Président France Albert Rene à l’Ile Maurice, qui avait au nombre des fonctionnaires qui l’accompagnaient un certain Callixte d’Offay qui dirige en ce moment le Secrétariat général de la COI. " It is to be noted he was made and officer of the Legion d'honeur by President Francois Mitterrand those who recall the events - good reasons. { Equally important our Sechelles Seychelles Community in EU comittments to then issues, our lobby and support that President FA Rene give the responsibility/portfolio to the then Mr Calixte D'Offay. All those who has forgotten and choose to forget.}
Les grandes dates de l'organisation
This Saturday 2/6/12 - we would like to as those who can and have the capacity, ability to refer to Sechelles Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Comor, Zanzibar, Sir Lanka, Maldive and BIOT - Diego Garcia then - what we have chosen - come to term "archaic, Illuminati, Templar, fraternal, christian, masonic heritage/working" 1979
Today younger generation, academicians, business men, young intellectuals, politicians of all experiences, college students, the many national relevant NGO's of the respective Nations, their respective diplomacy and institutions lending to the working, studying of such issues have the added advantage to research most of the most leading and important world libraries, archives, universities libraries, strategic regional research institutes, intelligence and military database and as such from the information available, at their disposition have a greater grasp and understanding of the real situation the world was, functionality, the position of the West, the East Block, the Capitalist stand verses the Communist or extreme Socialist Ideologies. Most important the Military, Economic, Financial, Diplomatic historic entities they represented. Most important and relevant their global networks in all the above mention spheres.
When one read the history of Indian Ocean Commission COI, unless one is trained, well founded in such Regional and international mechanism and working - the view and conclusion is that a few individuals, politicians, government Ministers got together and suddenly by magic, the COI was born and came into being. I/we have many very young relatives, educated who have no clue and understanding of what the COI stand for and all about - let alone its founding or birth.
Before - we address further issues, we would like to address today's UN/World Bank officials and Institutions, those from NATO, the Intelligence Services of those NATO member nation, including Russia. This include the many important EU Institutions, that of the African Union/ex OAU. The concept, approach, good reasons for those politicians, government Officials/Ministers in then 1982 to formulate and found the COI structure - the grave in term of conflicting/dynamic - meaning the political division wish existed, their Camps, their media, their diplomacy to a great degree - the brutality and ruthless working relation in such issues, then many raging wars, conflicts, revolutions and counter revolutions - the respective that supported and finances their respective ideology - those generation today who have in mind/picture the Cold War as in abstract - the reality and brutality, dynamic of things.
"The idea that today if you go on the web and download for example data on any form of current people, regional conflict on going this can results/lend you into being arrested, interrogated, find yourself being targeted and in instance killed or imprison without trial is a massive contrast to the practise, code of conducts those involved with such issues in 1982" There was no WWW then and those who did and could get hold of such material, information sold and exchange it/them for a great deal of money or favours.
We wish to present this brief then world working to enable those who will read this thread our view that a great deal have not been explained to the greater public, citizens of the regions, education system etc.
Instead of lumping everything together as has been the respective practise for the past 15 years of the Regional Small Nations working, i.e, the CARICOM, the ASEAN/Pacific Regional Small Nation working and that of the COI under the terminology of "global village" "macro economic dynamics" the need for those younger generation, their nation many functionality to understand and know the different many dynamic, related issues, be they military, economic, big finance, diplomacy, culture, climate, ethnic as well as greater politic involved.
For the past 15years the politicians of the COI region they have failed to explain, via the media and other method the major challenges which posed, presented for those Small nations, their citizens and other national institutions in their respective Regional Economic body. In most instance they have been spoon fed if the terminology can be used. This have impacted their understanding and grasp if any of the functioning/working in our Indian Ocean case the COI. The reality was/is complete different.
Having requested those who can to refer to our then regional and international "archaic etc working/heritage ..... then in 1982 who miss represented and miss explained to the media, citizens, national institutions - what really entailed, the very good reasons for such regional grouping and nations getting together to work in the effort to better their nation economy, people lives and expectations.
In explaining the founding of the COI all those involved who failed and completely refused to address the public, their citizens of the serious, economic division in term of political, military, economic and scientific ideology. This was not just intellectual, diplomatic or paper division - the brutality of it, i.e, the military, conflicts, the loss of lives, the brutal political stand of the respective blocks, parties, governments. In our case the respective position of Madagascar, Seychelles, Zanzibar, then Communist system, the Warsaw Pact, then OAU, then None Aligned Movement, then Commonwealth, then Francophone - their views of the world and its working.
On the other side Mauritius very much in the West Camp i.e, USA, South Africa, Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, all then central Europe nations, then British politic, Reunion Island - the Comor being influenced strongly by the politic of France and Reunion. The scenario most often presented by France and Britain they dictated, influenced the pace of Small Nations development, agendas and as such existence and working.
"The reason we have address the paragraph about the high possibility of being arrested and prosecuted today for just down loading material from the WWW certain deem/judge conducive to Terror Act/Violate legislations and laws. What really was taking place back in 1982 - the many conflicts - for instance Madagascar was a one Party State, so to was Sechelles Seychelles and Zanzibar. There was no national debate on such issues, the ruling regime/party got together, discussed and debated what they wanted and that was implemented. The rest of the nation was delivered a fait acomplie.The respective TV and Media machine would go into operation and they would be made to accept this decision. This influenced the core thinking, attitude of the citizens of those regional nation and their children today.
The Small Nations of the Indian Ocean region were not unique in this practise - hence our request that those who can/have the capacity and ability refer to then 1982 world "archaic, Illuminati, fraternal, Templar, christian and masonic working" The CARICOM member nations had their divisions. similar division and that of the ASEAN/ Pacific Region. The importance to understand the influence of the USA and NATO politic, beside that of World Bank/IMF in their very existence, working and functioning. The Commonwealth role or the Francophone role.
Given that the incoming Secretary General of the COI was a founding party, as relevant Minister then - not to mention his long experience in our region leading news paper, journalist experience/knowledge - his call for the regional nations to reengage, become more committed to regional working with all its dynamics. The need for today's generation to understand the greater complexities, challenges, then dynamics, obstacles, oppositions, divergence of ideologies which opposed, made, had made it impossible in the term of certain leading British, USA, South Africa, Australia, France, Canadian and indeed OAU officials - anybody contemplating such an economic grouping must be completely mad, it could never happen, it would never be allowed to be debated by the regional politicians and their government - let alone put in place.
For this to happen, to over come the major opposition more was required - beside the ongoing fluid issues - those involved had to link, the idea, the process to greater then USSR, COMECON - Warsaw Pact working, military, diplomacy, economic, finance and like wise the West Camp, NATO, their many Economic, Financial, Strategic national institutions had to be connected and made to engage. For this reason, we state all the high parties involved have failed to explain to the respective citizens and national institutions what it entailed. What really took place - for example look at the issues of BIOT - Diego Garcia the early explanation about the same time in 1982 and today how those who have strived, researched and fought to shed more light on the issues and the knowledge available to the greater public and the world as a result.
The question to ask/pose if those involved then to move this agenda forward, make it stay on the Table, keep the ball rolling so to say had to go to difficult and challenging extents, meaning, then Cold War situation - it was ok for the West, NATO to win an issues, call it game, agenda whatever extent and demand on human lives - then raging wars which one can list and their reasons, motives and the linking of the COI to them. At the same time USSR, COMECON - Warsaw Politic, Gulf Region military conflicts, China reactions, military, diplomatic, economic in very greater instance never hinted or even mentioned in public - the global/world benchmark practise. Those who judge only a very few could decide, dictate such agenda, public discussion/debate. In the case of those Heads of governments, their politicians and citizens, institutions, media had not such rights to discuss, associate and try to explain to their citizen such issues.
Between the original research which was done in 1979 at UNIDO, Vienna, we know of no other research unless some individuals come forward and invent them which is always possible. Some 4 years had gone by before those in Seychelles, in the form of President FA Rene, Dr Maxime Ferrari and Mr Calixt Doffay, other ministers involved including Mrs Daniel Doffay, de St Jorre- Minister Jean Paul Adam father, then Mr Giovanni Mario Ricci, then Mr Guy Morel, then Mr Guy Lionnet, Mrs Flavie Jackson - later Mr Kantilal Jivan Shah. What had compel, push President FA Rene to take this issues up, the Madagascar and Zanzibar Head of State in the case of Zanzibar it would have been President Julius Nyerere. They would have been referred and mentioned at an appropriate function/time.
"The foundament for setting up such an institutions, regional body was in the face, confronted to the totally entrenched Camps of the USSR, COMECON, - Warsaw Pact Block, China, the OAU, regional Arab Nation position on Sechelles Seychelles politic, the many military attempts involving the West Nations, their Intelligence Services, other institutions and military and they had failed/were failing - upon the good advice of those who worked for UNIDO/World Bank, IMF, the South Africa economic grouping, East Africa those national who represented them - the position of the above UN body to help us change the situation to create a plat from/body whereby, those with their extreme economic, central planning, dictatorial, military government/regime would be given the opportunity in polite term, brought about to come on a common Table/forum to discuss the many economic, investment, education, development program, social constraints of their respective government and share common, democratic values, benchmark. In the case of Seychelles, Madagascar, Comor, Zanzibar they had know such values before independence - upon its founding the new political dynamic, progress it brought in regional conflicts and the Seychelles, Madagascar, Comor exile issues. It was a ray, glimmer of hope given the then very horrible and terrible exile situation of the Seychelles, Malagache, Comor. " The only diplomatic language of the region until then had been guns, killing, assasination, coup d'etats, destruction.
Everybody refuse and fail to address, the dynamic which had address, made the research/study possible at UNIDO - Vienna, had move on, the parties driving the issues, be they South Africa, Kenya, France, Britain, Italy on account of our Christian and fraternal heritage/values, the USA events had moved on. Equally events in then USSR, COMECON - Warsaw Pact. Events and development at the None Aligned had moved on too. Not to mention Gulf Region, North Africa and Asian issues linked/had been linked.
Those who explained to us about the history of the COI would like us to believe, this was just a gathering of Small Nations to solve their immediate economic, cultural, tourist, agriculture, fishing, national industries, sports and education. This explanation is completely false and wrong.
When the idea was first presented to the UN/World Bank - IMF 1979, even they with all their vast resources and experience judge it near impossible. Because they knew and were fully aware of the other greater constraints and implications, not the Small Nations politics, national institutions - but the greater global working, military, diplomacy, economy and sphere of interests.
It was the like of South Africa, Israel, Britain, Australia, USA, France, Germany, Holland, Austria, Belgium, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, certainly not India, Canada when they, their military, intelligence Services, their higher national "archaic, fraternal, Illuminati, Templar, masonic" realised that here was the/a concrete opportunity that could change, remix, realigned the military, greater politic, economic working of the Small Nations of the Indian Ocean, the impacts on then East Africa, OAU, Gulf, India/Pakistan issues, BIOT - Diego Garcia, Suez Canal. The Chinese involvements, Cubans, Latin Americans, North African nations like Libya. The divided camp and those who supported favoured that his body be set up and their respective media. Events in Afghanistan, events in then COMECON. This created what is term as dynamic, synergies - those who manage such issues. Out of this energy began the creation and founding of the COI with all its challenges and problematic at national level. Those from the West, NATO who judge the dynamic/synergy would be in their favour/advantage.
Hence, when the incoming Secretary General of the COI, being one of the founding individuals - the need for him to understand those dynamic and synergies which existed in comparison with today's dynamic and synergies. It is further important to underline, like it or not, those/these synergies/dynamic have been driving much of the COI development, many issues and impacting them. Yet even to date from their media release - the so to say complete dislocation, refusal to acknowledge this working. The citizens of those Small National continue being spoon fed - being taken for fools. Then we have statement of lack of connectivity, participation and public understanding of the COI working, purpose and greater objectives.
Given that we have gone on to make/play an important role in the setting up of the Indian Ocean Regional Association - why this was deemed necessary, their politic, economic dynamics - most important the shift in global balance of Economic Powers. As such the debate and ongoing debate. The involvement of China, Japan, Russia, Arab State, Iran, India, Pakistan, France, the USA, the EU, NATO, African Union - those from Britain, the USA who judge we have not rights to even mention and address such issues in public - which underline what we have written above of those who judge - we have no business as Small Nation to discuss and interfere in such issues and working. There is an important relation and co relation.
The Indian Ocean is today more than ever very vital for the survival and functioning of the West, and EU economy. At the same time we have a grim scenario of the West economy and financial position. In EU the disintegration of the Single Currency. In the Arab Gulf region the mega political situation, recent events, call for political changes, economic changes, in Asia the impact of China, Japan economic situation, emerging Asian nations. Closer home the many important challenge of African Union. They all pose new challenges and in the process the dynamic, synergies they develop and release - the need, requirement to understand not in a confuse manner events and development - but with clear understanding as those involved who did in 1979 at UNIDO/ World Bank - IMF Vienna, onward. What compound to the challenges is today's availability of information and growth in education, knowledge in those Small Nation functionality/working, existence. Including greater emphasis of the role and importance of NGO in those Small Nation regional working/functioning. Their ability to deliver and their available resources.
In our person - we have been emphasising, stressing that greater responsibility for engagement, involvement and delivery over the past 15 years be given to NGO's and in the case of Sechelles Seychelles, the progress have been remarkable. Yet again all those and everybody who fail and refuse to note, take on board the co relation between, the working dynamics of the then COI in 1982, the research associated in 1979 and the progress we have reached/achieved in NGO' s function/role today particularly in Seychelles and Mauritius. This in turn to be brief it impact on good governance standards and its mechanism with regards to African Union such working and standards. We also strongly believe the role of disseminating information about the functioning of the COI greater emphasis ought to be give to the NGO sectors, the relevant actors.
Not to be nasty or otherwise, we recall London 1979 - until the assassination of the Opposition Leader 1984, when we addressed the many ex Ministers of then Sir James Mancham government in exile - that we had undertaken such research, our contributions to the setting up/founding of the COI and other political faction like the MPR/SNM, Leadership, government in exile other Seychellois politicians. In most instance it amounted to - if we did not shut up they would have us killed, it amounted to betrayal. They refused and failed to understand and grasp the greater possibilities and long term impacts. The return of Multi party and today's Sir James Mancham position and attitude - beside the Opposition parties, the NDP, the SNP and others. Particularly former President Mancham what those who may wish to debate and question in greater details on the political ongoing in London until 1991 as disjointed, it does not co relate, Meaning he has been catapulted on the world and regional high stage in issues he had opposed and knew nothing about - as all good politicians have learnt to make good credit and capitalise with the big help and involvement of the world media. Those who favour and support him like before he was deposed and forced in exile, the benchmark, attitude and corrupted practise.
Jean Claude de L’estrac said that he hopes that the Indian Ocean Commission would work to re-prioritize its activities.
IOC Ministerial Meeting – Post of Secretary General assigned to Mauritius
