On the agenda of the Press Conference:

1. Chagos, Peace and Geo Militarism

      2. Turbulence in the Media

The Rezistans ek Alternativ (ReA) press conference was held on Saturday October 07, 2023 in Moka.

The press conference covered different elements such as the situation in Chagos, the turbulence in the media and as well as the amateurism that the government uses when it has to make decisions for the country. Present in the conference Kugan Parapen, David Sauvage, Veena Dholah and Ashok Subron.

Kugan Parapen started the press conference by saying that the current government acts as non-professional when they have to make decisions for the well-being of the population. The rise and fall of fuel prices can be seen as a masquerade.

“It is unacceptable that in 2023, there is so much amateurism in decision-making. You can’t raise fuel prices one week and then lower them the next week. This lack of rigor and incompetence gives us an insight into how things are going inside the regime. This shows that there is no communication, no coercion and that it is everyone in their own little corner who makes the decisions. This is a blatant act of this government’s incompetence.”

The problem with the price of gasoline does not come at the national level, it is due to the tax that can be described as abusive. The frustration and anger of the people at this rise in prices is justified. The thing that seems positive about this show is that when the population speaks out it brings about change. Many representatives of consumer associations have voiced their objections to this rise in fuel prices but also to the cost of living. When the people start moving, it can create beneficial situations for them. The population must be able to claim their rights in the face of injustice, declares Kugan Parapen.

Turbulence in the Media.

The press is still subject to attack from the country’s leaders. Several very committed and very critical journalists and presenters has been fired. These journalists were very appreciated by readers and listeners and unfortunately, they have had to face unjustified dismissals. As a reminder, 3 journalists were fired during the past few months.

« The people are not fooled, three very critical presenters were fired or had to submit their resignations by force, and this is not the reason of an employer or a mass media company. There is a government mafia that is definitely behind this. In this case, it is three different radio stations that fired its people. »

This is worrying for our democracy because for a long time, the press has played the role of counter-power, like a watchdog denouncing the abuses and scandals that our leaders are involved in. The question we must ask ourselves is, is this still the case? Can a government, for whatever reason, put pressure on its harshest critics to lose their jobs? It’s worrying because it’s a government that doesn’t respect democracy. In 2023, there is an open war between the government and the presenters and those who are in the media.

It is important that the directors and owners of their media and communication companies come together to say stop to the oppression and that they speak out on the reasons for these unjustified dismissals and if they have received threats, that they denounce it, says Kugan Parapen.

« The press must also be able to denounce when certain high-ranking officials make threats and so on. I do not believe that certain decisions taken by the directors of mass media companies are independent, they must necessarily have received either threats or instructions and if this is the case, it is really serious and worrying because if they cannot say it loud and clear, it is even more serious. The population has several questions, are private radio stations still independent or at the mercy of the government? »

Chagos, Peace and Geo-militant.

The Chagos is part of the heavy heritage that Mauritius carries since the colonial era and our process of independence. The first observation that Rezistans ek Alternativ can make is that for more than 50 years, the problem of Chagos has been that each time the Mauritian state with its political leaders have always favored a bilateral approach. 

That is to say a government-to-government approach between the Mauritian state and the British state. Indeed, this approach is unsuccessful and nothing good could be gained from this bilateral connection, declares Ashok Subron. On the contrary, a bilateral approach has brought more damage to this battle. Indeed, it was the multilateral and international approach that led to Mauritius winning its case before the International Court of Justice. Ashok Subron maintains that if Mauritius once again decides to adopt a state-to-state approach to an issue that touches on the total decolonization of countries and islands that were once colonized, it will put an end to the sovereignty that Chagossian descendants are entitled to. In 2023, at a time when we are witnessing economic war which is taking on geo-political dimensions, leasing the Chagos to supposedly protect the British and their security is unacceptable. Ashok Subron mentions that the leaders of Mauritius do not take into consideration the security of Mauritians and other island states present around Mauritius as well as the African continent before taking this kind of decision. Indeed, these are questions to which the current government must answer.

Watch the debate here: