INTERVIEW] Ahmar Mahboob: “The prestige of Creole has to be raised.” > pp. 38-39

Insert N° 3 • Friday 25 February 2011

Editorial ] by Touria PRAYAG From ideology to personality ny entity which lasts for 75 years deserves our full res- pect. When a political party lasts that long and is in STRAIGHT TALK ] power, there is a lot to celebrate. Congratulations then Ato the Labour Party on an anniversary celebrated in a grand style but without too much wallowing in nostalgia or per- The Labour Party’s Diamond Jubilee sonality cult. The tribute paid to the founding fathers of the party > pp. 44 - 45 was justifi ed and, on the whole, measured. It is undeniable that the party has left an indelible footprint in every aspect of the history of this country and it still is a major force to be reckoned with in today’s Mauritius. But a celebration is not ISKON vs McDonald’s restricted to reminiscing about the past. It is also about refl ecting on the present and looking into the future. To claim that the present La- bour Party has not deviated from its original ideology is not entirely supported by facts. The ideology on which the party was founded has defi nitely moved towards more economic pragmatism, involving The burger of discord a range of measures verging, some might say, on neo-liberalism. Free market policies such as the removal of trade barriers, barriers to the infl ow and outfl ow of capital, the Stimulus Package and the Economic Restructuring and Competitiveness Programme, the fl at corporate tax rate to mention only a few cannot, by any yard stick, be qualifi ed as socialist in nature. To be fair, though, moderating its left wing instincts, instead of indulging them, has allowed the party to adapt to the period of history we are in. Face it. Rhetoric aside, the model offered by political parties today is the same right across the spectrum. The main difference between parties now is not one of ideology but of personality, an area in which Navin Ramgoolam has a defi - nite advantage. This should not lead to any degree of complacency, though, as there are a number of perceptions now associated with the Labour Party and (perhaps particularly) its allies which its lea- der would be wrong not to seize this occasion to refl ect upon. And worry about. If I were Navin Ramgoolam, I’d worry about the per- ception of cronyism, abuse of power and lack of ethics created by some of the people close to me. I’d worry about the lack of accoun- tability which seems to be rampant around me. I’d worry about my friends rather than my perceived enemies. I’d worry about some pa- rasites in my government and parastatals who are draining the state coffers and standing in the front line for all the privileges, leaving only frustration behind. I’d worry about those who are shamelessly placing their friends and relatives on a number of boards creating a breed of useless, professionally worthless, people who make a living simply through sitting on various boards. I’d worry about the silence of those who have something to get rather than about the verbosity of those who have nothing to gain. I’d worry less about the press. A healthy, even antagonistic, press is essential in any vibrant democra- cy. An independent free press is one of the main differences between us and Egypt, Tunisia and some parts of the Middle East. Anger expressed in newspaper columns is less likely to be expressed in Tahrir Square or the Place d’Armes. Come to think of it, it is partly thanks to our big mouths that Navin Ramgoolam enjoys peace while > pp. 40 - 41 in power. You’re welcome. And many happy returns. l’express [ Friday 25 February 2011 • Insert N°3 QUICKREAD] p. 34 Week at a glance ] Events ] Exhibition: Labutik Sinwa

The Blue Penny museum is holding an exhibition in tribute to the famous labutik sinwa that have been part of the Mauritian landscape for many Innocence in pain years. The term means Chinese shop and refers to the tiny shops made of wood and corrugated iron that were most commonly seen in Port Louis and villages, and were run by Chinese traders. These were the shops where you would interact with the shopkeeper to purchase your groceries, very different from the self-service supermarkets of today. The exhibition includes beautiful black and white photography by Vel Kadrassen, and pain- tings by Marilyn Brétillard, Pascal Lagesse and Monique La Vallée Poussin. It will run until 15th March. Gospel Night The U.S. Embassy, in Port Louis is commemorating the African American History Month with a gospel night on Saturday 26th February at the Conservatoire de Musique François Mitte- rand in Quatre Bornes. The event, scheduled from 7pm – 8.30pm, will include excerpts of the documentary fi lm “Let Freedom Sing – How Music Inspired the Civil Rights Movement” by Charles Hannah and Meyer Shwarzstein. This documentary recalls the Civil Rights movement,

YANCE TANYAN YANCE through music and songs. The video projection will be followed by performances by two Mauritian choirs, The shocked father of the baby found dead at Riviere du Poste, just ten days after its birth. “El Shaddai” and “Pace”. Call 202 4444 or email: port- [email protected] for free tickets. Limited tickets are IT is impossible not to turned out differently if more lence. You can hear the victim also available at the Conservatoire de Musique François Mitterand. stop and contemplate the sic- consideration had been given pleading for mercy while the kness of the world around us to her problem? laughter of the perpetrators Concert: FR3E when we consider the terrible The video taken at Le Nid rings louder and louder. What incidents that have marked day care centre, of a caregiver does this tell us about the The Conservatoire François Mitterand is organising a series of concerts this week. It has been a dark hitting two children has for- culture of violence that has entitled “3”, which will bring together three musicians, and disturbing week for many ced us to question whether the emerged amongst our youngs- each with their own unique style and unique people. The parents whose institutions engaged in early ters? Over the years, the high approach to a specifi c family of musical children were ill-treated, while childcare are carrying out their rate of domestic violence has instruments. The fi rst concert will focus they believed they had put their duties appropriately. Do you shown that physical abuse is on drums, and will be held on Friday 25th little ones in safe hands. The really know who is taking care becoming all too common, and February at 7pm at the Conservatoire. young boy, who was the victim of your child, while you are children are the most vulne- Drummers Stanley Perne, Christophe of unimaginable brutality, bea- at work? A scary thought that rable to this. Apart from the Bertin and Jim Bachun will participate ten by boys barely older than raises the matter of more in- immediate environment, popu- in this edition. The concerts will be held himself. A baby, only ten days tensive screening and even lar culture also depicts graphic every two months. The FR3E concept will old who died in the strangest of psychological evaluation, when scenes of violence, lowering the involve three musicians around instruments circumstances, and most pro- recruiting people for such jobs. inhibitions of those exposed such as the piano, the electric guitar, the bably at the hands of a parent. Together with proper training, to it. The problem of bullying cello and drums. Tickets are available at Rs.150 and Rs.200. The case of the baby found video surveillance of caregivers amongst youngsters at school dead at Rivière du Poste may be considered to allow ad- level often goes undetected or Music Lovers confused and shocked the ministrators to detect any abnor- is considered too insignifi cant country this week. The mother mal practices, thus lessening the for much action to be taken. The universe of classical music awaits you with the went missing with the child, stress of parents who have no How much psychological sup- show entitled “Melomanes”. Join Gerard François whose body was eventually choice but to leave their children port, or counselling is available and his musicians at the Centre Culturel d’Expres- found in the river. It appears in the hands of strangers. A prac- for young people within our sion Française (CCEF) in Curepipe at 8pm on Sa- that the mother was suffering tice that has often been adopted school system? turday 26th February. The concert will include from a psychiatric disorder- in other countries, when parents And we take a moment here a vast array of instruments including the violin, a fact that her husband was are afraid to trust… to consider the young lives ex- the guitar, the piano and the cello. Tickets are aware of but apparently chose tinguished in one moment of available at Rs.200. Call 676 6034 for more infor- to hide from his family. Wha- Lowering inhibitions negligence. Two youngsters, with mation and to make your reservations. tever the family circumstances, promising lives ahead of them it is possible that the lack of More shocking still is ano- drowned at Tamarin, while swim- Abstract Art Exhibition appropriate treatment for the ther video that is now being ming in choppy waters. The inci- mother may have worsened her circulated. Taken on a mobile dents of this week compel us to An exhibition of abstract art by Salim Currimjee condition after delivery. This is phone, it shows a teenager in refl ect once again on the need to is being held at l’Atelier, at St Louis Street in Port one of those tragic cases where an alleyway under the pouring protect our children irrespective of Louis until Monday 28th February. The ex- the parent, the protector, be- rain being beaten by older boys. their age. More than ever, we need hibition will be open from 10am to 5pm on comes the greatest threat to the If you happened to hear the to review the structures of the very weekdays. Thirty-fi ve paintings are on display child. There is such a stigma at- broadcast on the radio, the one institutions that are responsible for and include acrylic and watercolour composi- tached to psychiatric disorders thought that would have cros- protecting our children. tionson wood and paper. The artist has a preference that most people cast a blind sed your mind is how anyone for bright colours such as orange, yellow and red, eye on them. Would things have can carry out such acts of vio- Melissa LOUIS, Majhegy MURDEN and each painting has a unique combination of shapes and symbols. ILLUSTRATIONS : Stephane BENOIT p. 35 QUICKREAD] Insert N° 3 • Friday 25 February 2011 ] l’express PHOTO OF THE WEEK The Triolet by-pass was inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, this week. The new road, which covers a distance of 5.4 kilometres and cost Rs 225 million to build, will help ease traffi c on the main road through Triolet. It begins at Solitude, passes between Triolet and St André, and ends at Chemin Vingt Pieds. During the inauguration, the Prime Minister highlighted that the budget for traffi c decongestion will increase over the coming years, going from Rs 2.1 billion in 2011 to Rs 7 billion in 2013. The projects will include the Dream Bridge, which will be a toll highway. The Minister of Public Infrastructure, Anil Baichoo, also present at the inauguration, announced the construction of a new road linking Forbach in the north to Bel Air in the east. Creatively Mauritian International Mother Language Day FOLLOWING its proclamation by dren and adults alike to culturally appro- the United Nations Educational, Scienti- priate the Christmas carol tradition. This fi c and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) particular work proved beyond doubt in November 1999, the International Mo- the poetic capacity of Mauritian Kreol to ther Tongue Day has been celebrated by convey meaning, rhythms and feelings in member countries since February 2000, the appropriating process. to promote “the preservation and protec- However, the battle is not yet won. tion of all languages used by people of the The development of a language is an world.” Last Monday, to mark the event, on-going process, requiring a regulatory the Ortograf Kreol Morisien (the writing framework. The survival of Mauritian system document) was handed to the mi- Kreol will depend on its users’ ability to nister of Education and Human Resource preserve its authenticity while innovating Development, Vasant Bunwaree, by the it to adapt to an evolving Mauritian reali- members of the Mauritian Kreol Aca- ty and exploiting its creative potential. demy, Vinesh Hookoomsing and Arnaud Within a globalised context, as Vinesh Carpooran at the Aimé Césaire Govern- Hookoomsing argues, “The world comes ment School. to us in English and in French. These Mauritian Kreol, the fi rst language two languages are part and parcel of our of more than 80% of Mauritians, has Arnaud Carpooran and Vinesh Hookoomsing presenting the Ortograf Kreol Mori- multilingualism. Mauritian Kreol will been valorised as an ancestral language. sien to the Minister of Education, Vasant Bunwaree. continue to borrow extensively from Today, an important corpus is emerging them as it adjusts to modernity and its in Mauritian Kreol, including the Dik- language not just of communication but According to Alain Muneean, from new technologies.” Presently, the Mau- sioner Morisien (Kreol Dictionary) and also of artistic expression. “The language the Association pour le Bien-être des ritian Kreol Academy is coming up with the translation of the Bhagavad-Gita and has established itself as the oral medium Aveugles de l’Ile Maurice (Abaim), artists the technical documents with a view to the New Testament into Mauritian Kreol. par excellence for the expression of the have consciously engaged in the struggle standardising it. Kreol is also called upon to shoulder pe- artistic talents of singers and slammers,” to promote the language and to defend it The standardisation of the pro- dagogical functions with the future imple- says Vinesh Hookoomsing, president of the when it was subjected to serious attacks. nunciation, syntax and grammar, the mentation of the language as an optional Mauritian Kreol Academy. In the recently Artists are able to “carry deep-rooted validation of the writing system, the subject in the primary school curriculum. published Intelligentes betes, Animals, forms of language expression, where lan- provision of necessary technical guide- Mauritian Kreol is, thus, far from being Zistwar zanimo, tales in Mauritian Kreol guage is actually in the process of crea- lines for the development of curriculum particular to an ethnic identity but it acts are given the same importance within tion and re-creation, to keep it alive,” he materials and training to teachers are as a vehicle of our cultural heritage foste- the creative space as the established lan- explains. A concrete example of such the main objectives of the Mauritian ring feelings of cultural kinship. guages, English and French. This shows re-creation is Abaim’s last album, Enn Kreol Academy. Mauritian Kreol is the vector of oral increasing awareness by Mauritian writers Nwel Larkansyel. The album’s success tradition and art. It has evolved into the of Mauritian Kreol as a literary language. demonstrates the need for Mauritian chil- Majhegy MURDEN l’express [ Friday 25 February 2011 • Insert N° 3 ISSUES]p. 36 Left Field] Expatriate workers By Nicholas RAINER Shaju and Pamba’s

Don’t cry Approximately 40 This is the story of the his face. The quiet man also al- 000 foreign workers confl ict opposing George Shaju leges that he’d been brutalized for Ronald Karambam, 35, and Pambavasan twice before but that the police currently live and Kunnath, 40, two Kerala natives, had refused to take his statement s any tantrum-throwing fi ve year-old will work in Mauritius. to their employer, Advance Space both times. tell you, it’s not what you say, but how you As the following Structures (ASS), a fi rm that say it. It’s true for most things in life, from specializes in the manufacture of An unsettling story Agetting a child to eat his greens to solving article shows, telecom masts. Yet, it is also the complex geopolitical crises. By presenting a given the relationship story of the increasingly compli- They also complain that their option in a way that seems advantageous to the between them and cated relations between expatriate monthly wages amount to far concerned parties, one can achieve far more than workers and the Mauritian com- less than the US$500 that the by using threats and intimidation. Sadly, this golden their bosses is not panies that employ them. In the recruiting agent had promised rule seems to have been lost on the International always easy. To say middle of all of this chaos are the them. According to Suresh, wor- Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) which the least. agents who profi t handsomely kers have to pay agents between has taken issue with the implantation of McDonald’s from this growth sector without Rs75 000 and Rs120 000 in or- a few dozen metres from its headquarters’ in Phoe- being subjected to much in the der to secure a job in Mauritius. nix. ISKCON argues that the restaurant is far too way of scrutiny or liability. More In addition, the company deducts close to its premises and that the smell of charred globally, this is the story of the wi- Rs1 000 from their pay every beef that will emanate from it is offensive to its spi- dening rift between Mauritians, month for 10 months. The Rs10 ritual beliefs. most of whom are immigrants 000 constitute the performance By failing to dissociate itself from the involvement themselves, and those who have bond to be paid to the workers of sectarian groups, like Kranti and Voice of Hindu left everything to build the eco- on completion of their contract. (VOH), ISKCON has not only done a disservice to its nomy of tomorrow. In the event of them reneging on opposition to McDonald’s but to its philosophy as a Our tale begins on a rainy their contract or deciding to re- whole. Indeed, the participation of these agents provo- Tuesday afternoon, in Carreau turn to India, it would go towards cateurs only served to polarize the debate and, worse, Laliane, to be precise, after a the purchase of their plane tickets. the country. This goes against almost everything IS- phone call had alerted us to the Shaju and Pamba demand that KCON stands for. Be that as it may, it’s still not too predicament of these two Indian the company forks out their per- late to make amends and its members should take a workers. Over a cup of sweet, formance bond, as well as their long hard look at the implications of its proximity to watery coffee, Shaju and Pamba airfares. They say that their pleas these groups. Such a rethink would not only benefi t the allege having been the victims to the ministry of Labour and organization itself, which is renowned for its openness of systematic verbal and physi- Industrial relations to this effect and tolerance (not qualities usually associated with cal violence, inhuman working have fallen on deaf ears. In the its bedfellows), but also the stand it has taken against conditions and the non payment meantime, Advance Space Struc- McDonald’s. of their Rs10 000 performance tures has their passports and has For ISKCON has a point when it says that the bond. As a result of this mistreat- declared them missing to the franchise’s location shows a lack of respect for its be- ment, they left the company police. “I’ve worked here before liefs. And those who argue that freedom of choice dic- in early February after having for two other companies and I’ve tates that McDonald’s should be able to put up shop worked there for two years and never had this sort of problem. I wherever it damn pleases are missing the point com- haven’t been back since. Since don’t know what I would’ve done pletely. People who go to ISKCON go there to medi- then, they have been staying with if my brother didn’t live here. I tate and pray, those who go to McDonald’s to scoff friends and relatives. Haltingly would’ve been homeless; maybe down a burger. There’s defi nitely a case that those who and with the help of Pamba’s bro- I would even have committed frequent the former deserve a bit more consideration ther, Suresh, who settled down suicide,” Pamba frets. “There than those who patronise the latter. Yet, that’s hardly here 15 years ago, they explain are good people in Mauritius and the end of it; the debate about McDonald’s concerns that all they want is to receive there are bad people too. We just us all, on several different levels. their performance bond and re- want to go back to our families,” For one, it’s worth noting that McDonald’s is a turn to India where they both pleads Shaju. rapacious multinational corporation that has made have wives and two daughters. The plight of the two Kerala billions on the back of untold harm to both the envi- Shaju is sporting a cast on his natives sounds familiar; it’s the ronment and public health. In Brazil, thousands of left arm. He asserts that the injury generic stuff of dreams of a better acres of forest have been razed to clear pasturelands is the work of one of the fi rm’s life turned sour. Yet, it’s only one for the cattle that go into its burgers. By doing so, it has directors and one of the main side of a story that gets immea- released millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the reasons why he decided never surably more complicated. The atmosphere. It has also rightly come under attack for to return to ASS. According to following morning, I alerted Ally the harmfulness of its products to human health (Su- the young welder, the director Faizal Beegun, a fervent defender persize Me anyone?). In the US, the junk food culture, Rejoinder roughed him up in the company’s of the rights of foreign workers, to of which McDonald’s is the undisputed champion, dormitory on February 1 after he this case. He said that he’d look costs the health system billions yearly, to the extent In last’s week’s article on the had called in sick. He presents the into it. He also believes that the that there’s a growing case for fast food companies to Independent Commission Medical Examination Certifi cate question of recruiting agents is a be sued in the same way Big Tobacco was in the 1980s. Against Corruption (Making he later obtained from the police. burning one. “They often lie to Given our health record, Mauritians need another fast the ICAC matter), we wrote “Assault”, it simply says. As for workers about their salaries and food restaurant like they need a limb amputated. that the salary of its board Pamba, he asserts that he felt conditions. Companies should be The Supreme Court has been asked to weigh in on members and chairman very ill on February 2 but that more discerning about the agents the issue. Whatever its decision, let’s not be too quick to accounts for a third of the his employers forbade him from they deal with.” victimize a corporation that is so symptomatic of our agency’s budget. The fi gure is going to hospital until after wor- Afterwards, I contacted consumerist culture. In the meantime, ISKCON would closer to 7%. We apologize for king hours. Worse, he says that ASS, half expecting to get the perhaps do well to reevaluate who it associates with. this inaccuracy. someone threw “toilet water” in obligatory unconvincing re- p. 37 [ISSUES Insert N° 3 • Friday 25 February 2011 ] l’express Big Mauritian Misadventure

futations and thinly veiled phoned saying that they were on disdain of the what-are-you- the company premises following going-to-do-about-it variety. a call from the ministry telling But, like everything in this tale, them to collect their money there the reality turned out to be far and that they weren’t allowed to more nuanced and, by exten- leave (an accusation that turned sion, unsettling than expected. out to be unfounded). On arri- Of course, their employer vehe- val, I found our two protagonists mently denied these accusations. mulling about in the garage as rain But the managing director of the poured down all around. company, Kum Sadien, also tur- After a brief discussion with ned the tables around by accu- his directors, Kum Sadien decided sing Shaju and Pamba of gross to usher them into the offi ce. He breach of contract, which he said confronted their version of events, justifi ed his refusal to pay their a task which was made infi nitely performance bond. more diffi cult by the language barrier (Pamba speaks a smidgen Allegations of Kreol, Shuja a bit of English). In the absence of anyone having on private radio the authority to adjudicate on the “They just left work one day veracity of the claims of the res- and I haven’t seen them in 23 pective parties, the discussion was days. They want us to fi nance their laborious to say the least. sightseeing,” he stated. According Eventually, the situation pan- to the managing director, Shaju ned out as follows: Pamba was injured himself during a fall (later given the choice of leaving the that day he presented a medical country at ASS’s expense, that certifi cate proving that it was “self- very evening (Wednesday) if he infl icted”) and was drunk rather was willing to forgo his perfor- than ill on February 1. In fact, he mance bonus. An Emirates plane went so far as to say that Shaju had ticket for Mauritius-Dubai-Chen- made threatening phone calls to nai was even presented to him. If, one of his employees and that the however, he decided not to forfeit company had given a statement at his bonus, he was free to wait until the Central Line Barracks for the the disciplinary committee made a “diffusion of false and misleading decision on the matter (the terms information” after Shaju had aired of the workers’ contract stipulates his allegations on a private radio. the bonus “shall be forfeited wi- But that’s not all. In a seemin- thout any extra-judicial or judicial gly unrelated case, Kum Sadien’s proceedings whatsoever”). Pamba legal representatives have also opted for the latter course of ac- lodged an injunction to prevent tion. the ministry of Labour drawing from Advance Space Structures’ Lack of goodwill NICHOLAS RAINER bank guarantees for the repatria- tion of 10 other foreign workers With regard to Shuja, the si- (companies have to deposit a bank tuation is a lot more complicated. guarantee for each worker they ASS refuses to so much as pay employ). According to the busi- for his ticket and demands that he nessman, these expatriate wor- answers for his threatening phone kers decided they wanted to go calls and the accusations he leve- home soon after the beginning of led on the radio. I asked Kum Not happy: George Shaju Karambam and Pambavasan Kunnath the year. He feels he is the victim whether he would envisage drop- in this case and refuses “on prin- ping the charges if Shuja were to brother and his friend. They were by Pamba and Shuja aren’t the be it their livelihoods, perfor- ciple” to sponsor their return trip. present his excuses. He seemed allowed to leave on the condition norm, their story offers a glimp- mance bonus, lodgings and di- He is also suing them for breach disinclined to. That’s his right but they left their contact details with se of the sort of complications gnity even. Their employers have of contract. Kum Sadien thinks it does seem rather petty. Shuja ASS. No one had budged an inch that arise because of a lack of to deal with the loss of capable that Shuja and Pamba are simply says that he’s prepared to go to from their initial position. The appropriate structures, legal fra- workers and bank guarantees. “climbing on the bandwagon”. court. But one can’t help but feel prevailing stubbornness was as mework, human resources and, Both parties are, to a certain ex- That’s when things got even that his chances are slim. He’s persistent as the wet weather. yes, goodwill. One would like to tent, answerable to the law. The more confusing. Ally Faizal Bee- a long way from home, in a fo- According to Ally Faizal Bee- think that people would be able to recruiting agents, on the other gun called to say that the ministry reign land where he doesn’t speak gun, there are around 40 000 resolve their differences by virtue hand, are making huge amounts of Labour had visited Advance the language and doesn’t have foreign workers in Mauritius of their common humanity, but of money without being accoun- Space Structures in Riche Terre enough money to pay for bus (whereas the ministry of La- reality, unfortunately, is far mes- table to anyone. Perhaps that ga- the day before (Tuesday) but, for fare, never mind a lawyer. Sadly, bour’s Special Migrant Workers sier than that. ping loophole is a good place for the reasons stated above, hadn’t the look on his face betrayed his Unit employs only four inspec- If, for whatever reason, fo- the authorities to start. been able to fi nd Shuja and Pam- loneliness. After an hour of dis- tors). And, although the trials reign workers don’t respect their ba. Then, Vinay, a friend of theirs, cussion, Suresh came to fetch his and tribulations experienced contracts, they have a lot to lose, Nicholas RAINER l’express [ Friday 25 February 2011 • Insert N° 3 [INTERVIEW] p. 38

Ahmar Mahboob gives us an expert’s view on the very topical and controversial issue of the place of Creole in our educational system. Displaying a remarkable grasp of the complexities of the local situation, he also places Mauritius in a wider context of countries with similar problems. Com- prehensive, balanced and above all per- ceptive, this is an interview which will interest all those concerned with educa- tion and social justice.

Interview With Ahmar MAHBOOB, Senior Lecturer, Department of Linguistics The University of Sydney “The prestige of Creole has to be raised.” ■ Dr. Mahboob, your visit to literacy in the mother tongue is Chinese but in English? access to the language of power – medium schools. What happened Mauritius coincides with the much more successful than in a I recently spent a year in Hong i.e., the people who have the ma- as a result was that the public sec- offi cial presentation of the foreign language. This issue is fur- Kong and my understanding is terial means to buy the education tor schools were converted to Ur- document, “lortograf Kreol ther compounded if the medium that there are both English me- in a language that is considered du-medium schools. On the other morisien”. What is your as- of instruction is also a foreign dium and Cantonese medium prestigious. hand, you had a mushrooming of sessment of the linguistic si- language and students don’t only public schools, with the majority ■ So if we introduced Creole English-medium private schools. tuation here? have to learn English, but also have being Cantonese medium. English here as a medium of ins- And, over a period of time, you It’s very complex. It seems that to learn IN English. In such cases is the main language in university truction, wouldn’t we have to heard the discourse that the public there is a certain hush-hush about they might be doubly handicap- education, but not in all schools. struggle with the same issues school system was bad and that it it; it is a situation which people do ped. The difference in the medium of creating and maintaining could not educate the children not necessarily want to talk overtly ■ Do you think that if the chil- of instruction across school and social differences? properly, and so people began and about but which, at the same time, dren were taught in Creole, universities presents its own chal- Possibly, yes. But, if you were continue to send their children to they feel passionately about. the failure rate would dimi- lenges. Given the importance of to introduce Creole and provide private schools. This further pro- ■ You think we don’t talk nish? English in university education reasonable support material in motes class-based segregation. enough about the linguistic It could if there were enough and in the larger job market, pa- Creole, then you could mini- ■ Coming back to our Mau- situation in Mauritius? resources to teach in Creole. In rents who have a choice choose mize those social class variations ritian context, the perceived Well, people do have opinions China, for example, Chinese is the schools that use English as a me- – consider, again, the example of value of English is not likely to about it but there seems to be an language of their success, not En- dium of instruction. Some parents China, where people have been change overnight, is it? understanding that it is a political glish. The reason that Chinese can also send their children for private able to improve their socio-econo- No, it won’t; but, when we talk and potentially controversial issue. be a language of success though English language tuition. mic status through education and about language planning, there Having said this, I did notice that is because they translate most key ■ When you say, ‘parents who use of Chinese. But, this doesn’t are at least three ways of looking the issue of language-in-education texts into Chinese. So, there is a ve- have a choice’ you mean pa- happen in all the cases and one has at it: status planning, corpus plan- came up numerous times during ry large investment. We have seen rents who can afford to send to be really careful in the context of ning and prestige planning. Status my workshops and other sessions. examples in China, in Korea, in their children to private scho- Mauritius. planning means that the govern- For example, during one works- Japan, where they have developed ols, don’t you? ■ Why? ment recognizes Creole to be hop at the University of Mauritius, because they have developed their Yes, most public schools are Because, in Mauritius, English language of education in schools. I asked the students to identify one mother tongue in order to use it Cantonese medium, while private and French have a perceived posi- That’s a policy decision that gives problem that needs to be resear- for all these different functions. In schools tend to be English me- tion of power. So without careful status to the language. The Cor- ched to improve things locally. For these countries, English is impor- dium. planning, what could happen is pus issue has to do with material the majority, if not all, the problem tant – as a foreign language – but ■ Doesn’t this result in crea- that the people who have resources development. Developing and identifi ed was the high rate of fai- it is not the medium of instruction ting a barrier of social class will send their children to private translating material such as jour- lure at the end of primary school, in schools. and maintaining it? schools. Let me share an example nals, books etc. in the language to which the participants linked to ■ But if you look at Hong Yes, it does. And that seems from another country. In Pakis- be promoted. The third is prestige language-in-education planning. Kong, for example, isn’t to be the case in most parts of the tan, in 1979, General Zia Ul Haq planning which involves giving rise ■ Do you think failure can be Chinese there a different is- world. The maintenance of English declared that he wanted to make to the prestige of the language. At attributed to the language? sue, where parents don’t want in a post-colonial context tends to all the public sector schools Urdu- the moment, it appears to me that To a degree, yes, because early to teach their children in privilege those who already have medium and get rid of English- Creole does not have high prestige. p. 39 [INTERVIEW Insert N°3 • Friday 25 February 2011 ] l’express

Although most people use the lan- But what I’m suggesting is that it bad ones. Malaysia invests a lot lationship between exams and the guage, it has low prestige. If this is needs to be sanctioned so that you into translation and so does China. kind of learning that students en- not changed, the policy of intro- can have teacher education pro- These countries have engaged gage in. One has to consider the ducing Creole as the medium of grammes that train the teachers in quite successful prestige and resources made available to the instruction is probably not going to use Creole (and perhaps other corpus planning. There are other schools and to the teachers/stu- to succeed. If prestige continues home languages) more effecti- examples which failed. The earlier dents. These are all variables that to be associated with English and vely in classrooms. Giving them example that I gave of Pakistan affect the quality of education. French, then what we might see insights on how to use both lan- largely failed, with terrible conse- Furthermore, it seems that you is an exodus of students leaving guages proactively as a resource. quences. In 1985, the same general have a stratifi ed system of educa- the public sector and going to the Right now, teachers typically who introduced Urdu as medium tion here. You have an “exam- private sector where they will be use Creole in the class because of instruction reversed the policy based” entry system in place. Now, educated in English. they don’t know what else to do. and re-introduced English. The if the system worked properly, you ■ How will the prestige shift? Knowing how and when to use impact of the 1970’s policy can still would have a fair and statistically I mean you can’t change Creole effectively can help in de- be felt in the country today. normal distribution of students people’s attitudes, can you? veloping bilingual approaches to ■ So, if we introduced Creole who enter the secondary schools Yes you can. We see mani- pedagogy that are more effective. tomorrow, do you think we’ll and universities from all social pulation of attitudes in many ■ Which countries do you go the Pakistan way or the classes. I am not sure if this is the cases. One unfortunate example think have similar issues as Singapore way? case. So, why is it that people from is that of war engineering in post ours? If you went for it tomorrow, it certain socio-economic or linguis- 9/11, e.g. attitude change towards I would think that Mauritius is would go the Pakistan way. It has tic backgrounds are disproportio- people from a certain ethnic/reli- historically unique, but it has simi- to have suffi cient planning and nately distributed across the school gious background that is suppor- larities with certain multi-ethnic, suffi cient local research. Right system? If there are only a token ted by collocation and regular use multi-religious communities in now, as far as I know, there is very number of workers’ and farmers’ of terms such as terrorism, funda- places like Singapore and Malay- little research that’s going on, pu- children who manage to get to mentalism, etc. with them. Such a sia. blished and disseminated. Unless the elite schools, then there is so- change in attitudes is infl uenced ■ What is the situation in Sin- research is shared and dissemina- mething wrong. by the media, movies, novels, etc. gapore? ted, which provokes further dis- ■ How do you get to this nor- So, if one wants to raise the pres- In Singapore, the medium of cussion and research, it’s a dead mal distribution? tige of Creole, one has to develop instruction is largely English, but end. The questions we are discus- Through very careful language a coherent plan for it. One might students are also taught their mo- sing here today need to be recon- and pedagogical intervention, ask questions such as: do we have ther tongue in school. sidered in light of locally generated, training teachers and research. a range of newspapers and maga- ■ They are doing very well, credible research, that provides us Research is very important. But zines in Creole? Do we have a TV aren’t they? with ethically collected, and cri- I’ve met a lot of people who told station that devotes time to Creole? They are doing very well, but tically analyzed and interpreted me that they would be interested in Do we have major TV shows and they invest a lot of resources in results about the local context. conducting research but that they movies that are in Creole? Do teaching English. We need such research before we have to go through so much red we have the top elite coming out ■ So the issue is not the lan- make any policy decisions. tape that by the time you get your and speaking in Creole? All these guage then; it is the resources. ■ What worries me perso- funding, if you get your funding, contribute to the prestige of a lan- Well, they also put very strong nally about this whole issue you’ve forgotten what the point guage. It creates a positive image emphasis on Chinese, Malay and of teaching Creole, which is was. of the language as something that Tamil, which are taught as mother highly topical just now, is that ■ Is it that bad? people aspire to. tongues in the schools. In Malay- it seems to be put forward as That’s what I’ve been told so ■ Apart from the prestige, sia, you have English-medium the panacea to all sorts of pro- it’s a question of making processes there is also the perception schools, Malay-medium schools, blems. Children are failing. transparent and equal. There is that the child will be locked Chinese-medium schools and Ta- Just teach them in Creole and also this perception that if there up in a language that will not mil-medium schools. Now, while they will sail through. Do you are grants, they go to sciences and lead him/her anywhere. Is that other languages are recognized in think this is an exaggeration? engineering. They don’t come perception justifi ed? Malaysia, it is the Malay language There is a certain level of re- to social sciences or humanities. To a degree, yes. Certain op- that is tied to the ethnic and na- “If mother- search that will support teaching That’s a typical developing world tions available may not be there tional identity, and to Islam. The in the mother tongue. However, syndrome. We don’t value huma- if you have been taught only in situation in Mauritius is quite dif- tongue it’s not the answer to everything nities and social sciences. Actually, Creole. For example, if you look ferent. Here, Creole is not really because there are socio-economic if you don’t invest in research, you at the immigration policies that associated with any ethnicity or education were issues. If mother-tongue education will have to rely on foreign-gene- are now emerging in the U.K and religion per se. the solution to were the solution to everything, rated knowledge. Somebody sit- Australia, you will note the impor- ■ It is in a way. you would have no English- ting in Australia, the US, UK, or tance being put onto English. Aus- It is and it is not. It is seen as everything, you speaking students failing or drop- France may be able to publish a tralia is introducing a point system coming from the Creole people ping out in countries such as the lot of books, but how relevant will where a very large proportion of who have African roots and are would have no US, Australia or the UK. Nobody these be to the needs of Mauritius? the points are going to be given to mostly Christian; but, then Creole English-speaking would fail because everything is What is needed is locally generated profi ciency in English. So, if you has been used by everyone here happening in English, which is knowledge. don’t have English, you may not for a very long time. Further- students failing their mother tongue. But, we know ■ The research which is pe- be able to migrate to Australia. If more, you have the Geeta and this is not true. So the medium of rhaps lacking most is relevant you think of education abroad and many other new materials about in countries instruction is only one dimension. research. you think of being able to work in Hinduism translated into Creole such as the US, It can help if it’s done appropria- This is what I mean by CRE- a multi-national company and and Creole being used as the lan- tely, but it is not the only thing. DIBLE research. Research that is: contribute to a global intercon- guage of teaching in madrassas Australia or the ■ What are the other pro- Contextually relevant, Responds nected world, then English and and mosques. Whereas in Malay- blems? to theoretical and practical needs, French are ways to do that. Just sia, there is a much more categori- UK.” From what I understand, there Engages stakeholders, Draws on having Creole limits you. That cal distinction between say Malay are a number of questions that one an understanding of local knowle- perception, therefore, is justifi ed and Tamil, where Malay is linked needs to ask in relation to the pri- dge and practices, is Informed to a degree. A midway would be to Islam and Tamil is predomi- mary education system here. One by global approaches and expe- for the medium of instruction to nantly seen as a language of the has to consider the kind of lan- riences, Benefi ts local communi- be bi-lingual. Tamil Hindus. guage and literacy practices that ties, Leads the fi eld/discipline and ■ That is already happening ■ I still don’t understand students bring to the school and contributes to the larger (global) unoffi cially where you really stand when the ones that they need in order theories, and is Ethical. That is Yes, I have heard that too. Tea- it comes to using the mother to succeed as well as the teacher- CREDIBLE research. chers use Creole because they feel tongue as the language of ins- training programmes on offer and Touria PRAYAG that if they taught in English, the truction the kind of pedagogy that is being children would not learn anything. There are good examples and encouraged. There is also the re- PHOTOS : CYNTHIA EDOUARD l’express [ Friday 25 February 2011 • Insert N° 3 COVERSTORY] p. 40 ISKON VS McDonald’s The burger of discord LIBRARY PHOTO

The simmering The McDonald's outlet under construction, which is at the centre of the controversy, was recently defaced. The culprits remain unknown.... ISKON-McDo- he International barbecues.” In any case, Seego- interested party may object to the been raised in the past, none nalds controversy, Society for Krish- bin continues, “the argument that granting of a licence for the selling have ended up in court, let far from being an na Consciousness the aroma of burgers is enough to of alcoholic drinks if the premises alone managed to successfully isolated episode, T(ISKON) has the shake the faith of adherents shows selling the drinks is near a place stave off development. world famous golden arches the superfi ciality of the faith and of worship (Excise Control Re- The argument from McDo- has been tuned into in its crosshairs. A fl otilla of argument.” gulations [GN. No. 91 of 1975]. nald’s that ISKON missed its another cause cé- groupings and organizations The fact that ISKON’s own However, there is no such speci- chance to protest is valid. Gopee lèbre for the faith- has been mobilized against the propaganda is at times contra- fi c provision regarding premises informs us that “It will have to construction of a new McDo- dictory doesn’t help matters. The which are licensed to sell food.” have a very good reason as to why based far right. nald’s branch in Phoenix near President of ISKON, Ajay Chaita- Failing that “the fall back position it had failed to raise any objection What is it that their centre. This august com- nya, contradicts his own secretary could be the Constitution. Chap- within the time limit provided by drives this reac- pany includes the Mauritius when he says, “It is not the smell, ter II, article 11 of our consti- law.” Certainly the version put Sanatan Dharma Temples as some people may think, that tution, entitled “protection of forward by Srinjay Das that “it tionary revanchist Federation, Hindu House, disturbs us. It is the close proxi- freedom of conscience”, provides was only towards the end of De- activism? Kranti, Ram Sena, Arya mity of McDonald’s. Moreover, that no person shall be hindered cember that we saw the banner of Sabha, Mauritius Andhra when we are talking of proximity, in the enjoyment of his freedom McDonald’s and that’s when we Maha Sabha, Mauritius Ma- we are not referring to the temple of conscience.” There is a caveat, realized that the restaurant would rathi Mandali Federation and which already exists in Phoenix however, according to him. “This move close to us” may be found Gahlot Rajput Maha Sabha. but to the land on the opposite right is not absolute. The enjoy- to be wanting. The objection to the new side of Jumbo Commercial Centre ment of the right to religion ne- McDonald’s branch, according on which we are planning to deve- cessarily requires a balance to be Fashionable fascism to Srinjay Das, secretary of IS- lop a spiritual village.” struck between the rights of the KON is that the smell of food So a confl ict over real estate is individual or group of individuals items made from beef and poultry dressed up in celestial robes. as is the case here and those of the The question of course re- “will bother the devotees who are rest of the community. It’s up to mains: what of ISKON’s far-right vegetarian.” This, Ram Seegobin The legal the court to strike that balance bedfellows and their constant of LALIT tells us “is ridiculous between that and the right of a fast quest for attention? Conversions, reasoning. If you go into a super- perspective food chain to operate.” picking fi ghts at hunger strikes, market, or a small shop, different Easier said than done. It is controversies around church bells meats are put together. If you The question that arises perhaps for this reason that and the azaan, and now McDo- take a look at their neighbours, is: does ISKON have a case? although objections to various nald’s; it seems there’s not a band- probably many of them cook and Lawyer Ashveen Gopee informs establishments infringing on wagon they’re not willing to jump consume beef or have outdoor us that there is a specifi c law “an the turf of religious bodies have on, or more precisely, hijack. p. 41 [COVERSTORY Insert N° 3 • Friday 25 February 2011 ] l’express

“In general,” Ram Seego- an intelligent, economic cri- which may not make much bin volunteers, “organizations tique of western domination, sense to the rational observer, such as these depend on crea- capitalism or imperialism, they and may not be of much use High-Heeled] ting confl ict. This lends them won’t be leading anti-privati- to the cause either. Take, for a kind of voice that they don’t zation marches, against price instance, Kranti’s criticism of By Deepa BHOOKHUN have, legitimizes their existence rises or against unemploy- cartoons in newspapers, or IS- and increases their bargaining ment. They remain in realm of KON’s threat to initiate legal power in society.” the phantasmic. The paradox is action against La Sentinelle. What is at stake, for the lar- that despite their anti-western/ The fact that this might dis- gely middle-class ranks of these Christian rhetoric, many of tract attention away from the organizations is the prospect of these organizations are, at the main ‘cause’ is a secondary social mobility. “Behind their same time, quite comfortable consideration. gesticulations, there are defi nite with parties and policies that Big bad McDonald’s economic interests,” states Seego- invite foreign, primarily wes- against a weak religious group bin, “especially when it comes to tern, capital and multinationals is the perfect imagery to elicit Ponder this contracts, such as for facilities into the country. McDonald’s sympathy. This is the reason around the airport or for taxis is the problem, but apparently why every self-respecting far- and so forth.” not the parties that brought it right outfi t instinctively jum- don’t know if you’ve heard about this sick woman This necessitates projecting in. Even the fact that ISKON ped on this potential bonanza who was caught on camera hitting a baby. The sa- an exaggerated image of your or- itself was founded in Mauritius of publicity that the ISKON- distic woman was employed by a crèche to look ganization. “You have to give the in 1974 primarily by people McDonald’s feud has become, I after babies entrusted to the care of the crèche by impression of being strong and from North America and Eu- and why it has been blown out parents who can’t look after their children because hey, pretend that you control a vote rope is once again lost on them. of all proportion. they’ve got to go earn themselves a living. bank,’” opines Seegobin. In the end, it is Ram Seego- Then there’s countless other sorry tales of youngsters The ideological justifi cation Perfect imagery bin that puts everything in pers- beating people up- most of you probably heard on the ra- for such groups is a virulent, pective, “In Mauritius, everyone dios yesterday the horrendous sound bite of a kid beating jingoistic narrative that purports accepts different faiths. Church another one up, purportedly because the young guy had to defend the ‘community’ from “It has more to do with bells, festivals, the azaan in been disrespectful to the torturer’s sister. foreign threats. In the present cir- symbols,” comments Seego- mosques… People have learned Next you get a group of youngsters who decide to cumstances, this is perceived ‘wes- bin. One gets the same mes- to accept and coexist in peace. throw stones at cars in Bois Marchand, thereby injuring ternization’, which threatens their sage from ISKON when it One of the dangerous aspects a tourist among others. I could go on but frankly I fi nd identity. The fear of domination says “The restaurant that pro- of the case is the idea that there all of this rather sinister. rests not on a nuanced, economic poses to start operations im- can be ‘no-go’ areas for say, beef What’s happening to us? Why are we raising children critique of imperialism but rather, mediately next-door to Hare eaters, pork eaters, vegetarians that are turning into nasty pieces of work? Why are we much like Islamic fundamen- Krishna Land is considered a and so forth.” hitting and torturing our kids? Why are other people abu- talist discourse, on an abstract symbol of cow slaughter. It is Preventing such an even- sing our kids? cultural defi nition of the ‘west’. a prominent visual representa- tuality would mean rejecting Too many questions? I think it’s about time we started McDonald's, obscure Christian tion of the exact opposite of the parochial appeals of the asking them. If you’re the sort that doesn’t like ques- sects, conversions and church what we preach.” far right and their storms in tions, like our Prime minister, you’ll no doubt be of the bells become an ersatz ‘west’, out The need to outdo each teacups. opinion that the only solution to those above-mentioned to victimize them at every turn. other, and appear as ‘defenders problems would be to toughen the laws. It’s worth men- Precisely because these of the faith’ pressures such out- Iqbal Ahmed KHAN tioning here that minister Sheila Bappoo went to visit groups are not founded upon fi ts to take extreme positions the battered baby crèche and you know what she said the problem was? That the crèche didn’t have all the requi- red licenses. Yeah right. And that’s exactly why a woman abused a baby. To make the baby pay for the fact that permits were missing. Can we be serious for a minute? The fact of the matter is not that there are sickos out there; always have been, always will be. But parents have usually managed to protect their kids from those per- verts. In the case of the battered baby, the parents had no choice but leave their baba in that creepy place. I don’t know what happened to the grandparents and that’s pre- cisely my point. What’s the biggest difference between your generation and the younger ones? Depending on your age, either your mother stayed home and looked after you or if she worked, you had the grandparents taking over that very important period of your life. Many people, including psychologists, are of the opi- nion that things started going awry the minute mothers started going out to work and grandparents were no lon- ger available. Or wanted. While it’s perfectly legitimate that mothers should want- or even need- to work, I think the question is not irrelevant- to what extent is the time and care a mother bestows upon the child essential to its well-being? Some say that a grandparent looking after the child is even more important because that’s how values are transmitted and that the grandparents would have the necessary detachment and wisdom that too often young

DEVIND JHUNDOO parents lack in rearing their kids. Instead, what do we do with our elders? We forget to call them, we don’t have the time or the patience to see them, so preoccupied we are with our kids and our lives. That’s modernity for you. And look at the price we’re paying. The symbolical presence of livestock, used by protestors to bring home their message. l’express [ Friday 25 February 2011• Insert N° 3 THIS IS MAURITIUS p. 42

f you are not accustomed young people of the household. God. A warm smile and a hot Maha shivratree to this sight, bear in mind From their home in St Croix, they drink on a cool evening can mean that it is an annual event welcome the pilgrims from the a lot to the tired pilgrims. After Iin Mauritius. The people North as they proceed towards the all, the walk to Grand Bassin is walking towards Grand Bassin sacred lake. “We prepare alouda, physically demanding, and can are carrying out a pilgrimage, tea, and fruit juice for the pilgrims, take many days, depending on A festival which is particularly important and provide them with fruit, as where the pilgrims are coming to those of Hindu faith. Every they must be careful during the from. For Ashwin Mangar, the year, devotees of the god Shiva festival about what they eat,” says pilgrimage is a must, but it re- proceed to the lake on foot, or Josh. They even keep a fi rst aid kit quires preparation. “You must be even by car to pay tribute to for the pilgrims to use. The expe- mentally and spiritually prepared. of bonding this important deity. Splashes rience is particularly important to There are little practicalities that of colour fi ll the streets, as pil- the family as it makes them feel we must think of, such as good grims carry beautiful construc- they have made a little contribu- walking shoes, warm clothes and tions of bamboo and coloured tion of their own. a torch, for we also walk at night.” paper known as “kanwars”. Ashwin adds that he is gra- and devotion (See inset) Physically demanding teful for the generosity of those The festival carries a good who welcome the pilgrims into deal of religious and cultural si- yet rewarding places of rest. Over the coming days, the streets of gnifi cance, but what really makes Arun Kumar, from Provi- the country will be fi lled with people it special is the massive wave of There are others who work dence will also be completing human support that it generates within associations and organise his annual walk to Grand Bassin. dressed in white, determinedly striding throughout the country. The food and drink for pilgrims, as “A group of young people from towards their destination: Ganga Talao, pilgrims walk in groups, sur- well as special processions held my temple gather in the days or Grand Bassin, the sacred lake, as rounded by family and friends in some parts of the island. In ahead of the festival to build the to share these special moments. Curepipe for example, a small kanwar, then we walk to the lake part of the major Hindu festival Maha They also receive the support of procession is organised every together,” he says. They have Shivratree which will be celebrated people who are mobilised along year from the Botanical Gardens been observing a forty-day fast next week. the streets of the country, having in Curepipe. People on their way during which they do not eat any set up tents or opened their own back from Grand Bassin will as- meat, eggs, garlic or onions. “I yards to the pilgrims who pass by. semble there with their kanwars. personally participate in building Each year, there are associations Suren Gunputh, of the Eau Cou- the kanwars each year, and in ser- and individuals who support the lée Sai Centre says, “We prepare vice to the pilgrims. I like to meet pilgrims, bringing out tables and cakes and drinks for them, and these people and learn from their chairs, gas cylinders and stoves welcome them. From there they experiences of the festival.” for cooking and preparing warm will proceed back to their homes, Another important part of the or refreshing drinks. some going towards Floreal, whole experience is to develop a Josh Ramnarain and his fa- others heading further down to sense of selfl essness, following the mily are among those who help Quartier Militaire.” example of Shiva. Reena says this pilgrims on an individual basis. Service to the devotees is one is particularly important for her This has formed part of family of the major aspects of the fes- as a pilgrim. “For me, the walk to tradition for at least 30 years now, tival, as the devotees believe that Grand Bassin is the walk to spi- and has been taken over by the service to mankind is service to rituality, moving one step ahead

Pilgrims carrying out their rituals at Grand Bassin. p. 43 THIS IS MAURITIUS Insert N° 3 • Friday 25 February 2011 ] l’express

A night dedi- REALITY CHECK] cated to Shiva The origin of Maha Shi- Iqbal Ahmed KHAN vratree (Great night of Shiva) lies in Hindu mythology. According to the ’Puranas’, du- ring the great mythi- cal churning of the ocean called ‘Samudra Contrarian

LIBRARY PHOTOS LIBRARY Manthan’, a pot of poi- son emerged from the Ideology ocean. The gods and the demons were terrifi ed ur political landscape is not insulated from the Carrying the 'kanwar' in the annual pilgrimage. as it could destroy the syndrome of fi ne rhetoric and contrarian po- entire world. They ran licy. Often, the gulf between what is said and towards God. It’s a way to pledge the island on the great night of to Shiva for help and, Owhat is done can be a stark one. Take, for ins- to God that I’ll be a better per- Shiva. The devotees must return to protect the world, he tance, the observation at the 75th anniversary gala of the son after Shivratree and that I will to their homes a day before the drank the deadly poison Labour Party. The misconception that it seems to still be learn from his selfl essness. After festival. Devotees from the north, but held it in his throat under is that is stands for a mixed economy. In truth, we all, he swallowed poison to save for example, leave their homes at instead of swallowing it. have aped, and not in a sophisticated manner either, the the world.” least fi ve days before the festival, This turned his throat U.S Reaganite model in its entirety. From the emphasis The walk to Ganga Talao taking about two and half days blue and, since then, he on a sclerotic private sector as an engine of development brings with it a sense of antici- to get to the lake and back. Once came to be known as and prosperity, kooky theories like trickle-down econo- pation, as devotees focus on their they reach their homes, they will ‘Nilkantha’, or the one mics, the absence of tariffs to protect industry, subsidies purpose: reaching the much get ready for the “char pahar ki with the blue-throat. and gifts via stimulus packages and restructuring pro- sought after sacred lake while ta- puja” held on the day of the festi- Maha Shivratree is ce- grammes, slashing corporate taxes and capital gains taxes king the name of Lord Shiva. The val. (See inset) lebrated to thank Shiva whilst increasing the tax burden for everyone else via VAT entrance of Grand Bassin looms And so the island will be for saving the world. and consumption taxes and the complete absence of any into sight and it is a magical mo- in effervescence until Wednes- During prayers, sacred control over the infl ow and outfl ow of capital. The Global ment says Ashwin Mangar. “It is day 2nd March. If this is new water is poured over Board of Trade (GBOT) allowing speculators and outside so rewarding. You are taken by the to you, walk out in the streets the shivlings (represen- investors to gamble on the future of the Mauritian rupee serenity and mystical aspect of over the coming days, and take ting Shiva). On the night and the fact that companies wanting to avoid taxes can the place, which looks even more in the sights and sounds: the of the festival, the ‘char use our murky fi nancial sector to invest in India (over 40% beautiful when there is fog there,” pilgrims with their “kanwars”, pahar ki puja’ (four-part of India’s total FDI comes via Mauritius) makes us look he adds. the inevitable traffi c, the sound prayer) is performed. more like the Cayman Islands or, if the Finance minister The lake is the scene of on- of religious songs that accom- “Devotees are expected is to be believed, Las Vegas, than anything a mixed eco- going prayers during the pil- pany them and the many people to participate in all four nomy, with its strict state regulations, would look like. This grimage and the devotees will along their path who are ready segments of the prayers. is the reason why, just like the United States, our economy collect sacred water that they to welcome them with a smile. Each part lasts 3 hours, may be growing on paper but unemployment and growing will take back home to pour over and is the culmination impoverishment are its constant bedfellows - when you’re the shivlings in temples around Melissa LOUIS of 40 days of prayers busy lining the nests of the super rich, the poor tend not and fasting,” says Pan- to fi gure high on your list of priorities. dit Bhardwaj The ‘char To white wash these policies, you do need real ideological Bringing colour to the festival pahar ki puja’ runs from gymnastics, hence the mixed economy moniker. But is this 6pm on the day of Maha really a new phenomenon? The adherence to the ideology The festival is a feast for it should be of a reasonable Shivratree to 6am the of ‘Fabianism’ by the Labour Party earlier was a similar the eyes, with processions size and weight,” says Pandit following morning. paradox. Fabianism was largely a hotchpotch theory that of colourful ‘kanwars’. The Bhardwaj. Groups of people condemned imperial-colonialism and inequality in words ‘kanwar’, according to Pan- within temples construct the but was bitterly hostile to Marxism and left-wing economics. dit Bhardwaj, is a sign of per- ‘kanwars’ a few days ahead Firm believers in the modernizing capacities of the British sonal devotion, although it of the festival. This is a spe- Empire, the Fabians criticized inhuman imperial practices, has become one of the most cial moment of bonding for but largely opposed national liberation struggles, opposed popular symbols of the fes- all those involved. The devo- the most apparent excesses of capitalism but at the same tival. ‘Kanwars’ are usually tees show their creativity and time opposed Marxism. Its only redeeming quality was that made of lightweight material adorn the ‘kanwar’ with co- it called itself a ‘socialist’ doctrine. and devotees are supposed loured paper, Post-independence, the Labour Party (much like the to carry them on their shoul- papier-mâ- MMM today) called itself ‘socialist’ and a party for the wor- ders. There has often been a ché, mirrors kers, but undertook no economic redistribution and largely lot of emphasis on having the and fi gurines preserved the structure of the colonial-era economy. Its most beautiful and elaborate of Lord Shi- 1948 electoral manifesto may have called for nationalization ‘kanwars’, and this year, the va. of the means of production, but it was quickly dropped in authorities and religious en- the run up to independence. The main aim was not an ove- tities have been calling for rhaul of colonialism, but like any other post-colonial state, pilgrims to be responsible to give rise to an indigenous capitalist elite. Fabianism was about their ‘kanwars’, as these of some use after all. should not be too big, nor In terms of foreign policy, describing itself as a ‘progres- should they be pulled along sive, non-aligned state’, Mauritius was quite comfortable on wheels, for the sake of in bucking the boycott trend and trading comfortably with traffi c fl uidity and se- apartheid South Africa and was equally comfortable with curity. “It shouldn’t importing rice from Taiwan, a state which it offi cially does be a contest and it not recognize. must be carried The point is, the gulf between words and deeds when it on the person’s comes to our political class is not a new phenomenon nor shoulders. should it come as a shocking revelation. Perhaps every poli- That’s why tical biography and party history screed should come with a preface that begins: “Do as we say…not as we do.” l’express [ Friday 25 February 2011 • Insert N° 3 STRAIGHT TALK ] p. 44 The Labour Party’s Diamond Jubilee

The 75th anniversary of the Labour party, celebrated last Wednesday, has given rise to some remarkable fl ights of eloquence, in places nicely laced with irony, on the part of our three contributors to to- day’s edition. Cliché-ridden propaganda or vibrant sincerity? It largely de- pends on which side of the fence you are standing. Thought-pro- voking? Certainly. No matter where you stand.

The Prime minister addressing the audience at the anniversary celebration. 75 Years of empathy with the nation IF we would only care to re- and the international projection of bering 1960’s, not in the fast- That economic growth was member, the 1930’s were, for the Mauritius, has been the unique and growth era of the late 20th or early made possible by the hard work of vast majority of our forefathers, unparalleled historical contribution 21st century. Even dreaming of a population that was both decently moments of suffering, of endless of the Labour Party to this country. sustained economic development, educated and in good health – the toil, of futureless days and of unac- let alone achieving it, constituted fruits of our infant welfare state, ceptable inequity based on race Social protection a formidable challenge to Mauri- the seeds of which had been sown and colour. tius, devoid of any resources but by the pre-independence Labour In those dark days, a group of for the vulnerable its 2000 square kilometers of land government led by Sir Seewoosa- selfl ess patriots led by Dr Mau- and its people. Economics Nobel gur Ramgoolam. And that econo- rice Curé chose to abandon their Indeed, the DNA of these Laureate Professor John Meade, mic growth allowed us to further comfort to stand by their people. achievements contains the spirit commissioned by the British co- strengthen and broaden the ou- Cader Sayed-Hossen, MP This dedication was, and still is, of the Labour Party. lonial government to report on treach of our welfare state. the essence of the motivation of In the midst of the dark 1930’s the chances of economic survi- It is thus that the 21st century Member of the Political Bureau the Labour Party. Our founding and 1940’s the Labour Party val of an independent Mauritius, dawned upon a radically transfor- of the Labour Party, Chairman fathers, Dr Maurice Curé, Pan- stood together with the workers categorically affi rmed that an med Mauritius, where economic of the Commission for the dit Sahadeo, Sir Seewoosagur fi ghting for their rights, thereby independent Mauritius was not growth and prosperity are constant Democratisation of the Economy Ramgoolam, Emmanuel Anque- ushering in glimmers of hope for economically viable… achievements of our government til, Guy Rozemont, Renganaden a better tomorrow. In parallel with and our public infrastructure Seeneevassen, and so many others that came the long struggle for constantly upgraded and moder- to whom this country owes so political freedom, the outcome of Innovative policies nised, but also where democratic much, felt the deepest feelings of which started with the broadening freedoms and human rights are our people and shared their thirst of the electoral franchise, then the But that assessment had safeguarded by our Constitution for freedom, for democracy and hard-earned victory of universal utterly discounted the unfl inching and, more importantly, by our for basic human rights. suffrage in 1957, and culmina- determination of our forbears in political culture, where education The empathy of our founding ting in 1968, after a struggle of the Labour Party, and especially and health care are available free of fathers with our people was such 32 years, with the accession of the the unshakeable confi dence in charge to one and all, where old- that trust was immediately esta- country to independence from the destiny of this country and age pension is universal, where blished. And the trust of the people British colonial rule. of its people that lived within Sir a caring social security system is still there – reciprocated by the The deep historical signifi - Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. provides protection for the more dedication of the Labour Party to cance of the political struggle of And thus, our post indepen- vulnerable among us, widows, the well-being of the people over the Labour Party would have been dence history witnessed gradual orphans and the disabled, where the past seventy fi ve years. Since incomplete if that political struggle but constant and sustained econo- government subsidies keep basic our beginnings, this empathy with were not accompanied by another mic growth, forged by policies that commodities at a price that is af- our people has been the defi ning similarly important struggle: the represented a bold mix of econo- fordable to all. feature of the Labour Party. quest of well-being for our people. mic pragmatism, of development- This is why the Prime Minister This is how and why all ma- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the oriented economic diplomacy and and Leader of the Labour Party, Dr jor progress and advancement Father of the Nation, knew that the of unending care for the well-being Navin Ramgoolam, could candidly in Mauritius in such fi elds as de- well-being of the people and social of our people. And innovative and unerringly affi rm last Saturday mocracy, human rights, econo- protection for the more vulnerable social policies under successive in his keynote address at the Party’s mic development and generalized among us could not, and would ne- Labour governments ensured Conference that “every step taken economic well-being, education, ver be achieved without sustained that the benefi ts of our economic by this nation from those som- health, social protection, housing economic development. growth percolate throughout the ber days to the present bears the and infrastructure development But we were then in the slum- whole population. imprint of the Labour Party”. p. 45 [STRAIGHT TALK Insert N° 3 • Friday 25 February 2011 ] l’express 75 years of what Labour Party ? SO, the Labour Party has cele- a clear socialist and anti-colonialist could not halt this process. machine, the MBC/TV is now brated its 75 years of existence. So, programme. It was the party of An- From the time when the Advance worse than it was in the days of they have managed to bus thou- quetil, Curé, Pandit Sahadeo, and Group took over political control of Suresh Moorba, who at least did his sands of people to their gathering. Rozemont. The ideological break the Labour Party, the project of the show just once a week, on Fridays. So, they have succeeded to get hun- occurred in the 1950’s, when the Party was to exploit the strength Present day Labour has ele- dreds of red-clad ladies to stand in party was taken over by the Ad- of the working class and use the vated the practice of “personality two neat rows to welcome the un- vance Group led by Sir Seewoosa- special nature of a post-colonial cult” to the level of political strategy disputed leader. So, the MBC has gur Ramgoolam, and in the 1960’s, state apparatus to build up a “state and programme: no member of the seen fi t to impose on the whole po- when a section of the urban elite bourgeoisie”, to force the “histo- party seems to be allowed to open pulation the speeches at a partisan joined in. The Advance Group had rical bourgeoisie” to make some his or her mouth without praising gathering, three days running. So, started in 1940, when a number economic space for the rising small the leader. At political rallies, there is Ram Seegobin for a short while they have covered of big sugar cane planters, rich tra- and medium bourgeoisies in cane one giant and a whole load of faith- Lalit activist the island with illegal red posters. So, ders, and intellectuals got together plantation and commerce. There is ful self-appointed dwarves. Perhaps for a few days the Labour apparat- to launch a newspaper bearing the certainly some continuity here with this is the main ideological break chiks have been able to relegate Me- same name. Representatives of that present-day Labour: the new slo- from the original Labour Party of dPoint to the backs of their minds. group were in political opposition to gan of the “Democratisation of the 75 years ago that surely proposed So, what have we heard in the the original Labour Party, until they Economy” is nothing more than a more dignifi ed society based on speeches and read in the interviews? joined and took over the party in the the renewed battle-cry of the “state equality, and certainly not a return Mainly that the Labour Party has early 50’s. This was also the begin- bourgeoisie”, as the economy has to monarchic values. not deviated from its original ideo- ning of a “historic bloc” that was diversified away from King Sugar, The “historic bloc” in power logical roots and values, that the formed around the sugar industry, as beady profit-seeking eyes have today, led by the Labour Party, is new leader now represents all that and allowed the Labour Party to started to turn from West to East. politically very unstable and econo- the Labour Party has ever stood hold political power: frequent al- mically full of contradictions. The for. Those making the speeches liances with the political party of the The state bourgeoisie new balance of forces between the and doing the interviews seem to sugar bosses, giving predominance historical and state bourgeoisies is have a rather limited grasp of histo- to big and medium cane planters, As happened in the 70’s, the yet to be established, and there are rical materialism, or even of history buying off of trade union leaders of New Labour of today, to further now different political representa- itself. And, what Labour Party are sugar labourers and artisans. its political project, has passed anti- tions for different sections of the they referring to? This original “historic bloc” worker and anti-union legislation, at state bourgeoisie. started disintegrating in the early the same time as trying to buy off Faced with repression, with New Labour 70’s, exploded in the 1979 mass the odd trade union bureaucrat, is worsening work conditions and strike movement, and was wi- threatening press freedom and in- standard of living, working class The Labour Party that was ped out in 1982. Reactions like dependence, has clamped down on mobilisation could very easily bring launched 75 years ago was a wor- the State of Emergency, press freedom of association and public about the end of the Labour revival, king class movement, relying on censorship, and draconian an- gatherings, and on opposition pos- specially one based on spin and per- trade union actions, and defending ti-union legislation of the 70’s ter campaigns. As a propaganda sonality cult. Labouring under Labour Seventy fi ve years is a great affairs in the country since 2005, were the days! The ultimate goal the Party at the expense of staunch age in life, be it that of a person has caused certain intrinsic values was independence, as if once obtai- Labourites. Many of its elected MPs or organisation. Indeed, it is a fi t- on which it was founded seventy ned, everything would brighten up and appointees are products of the ting time for retrospection and fi ve years ago to be baffl ed. Social and the country would live happily MMM. Its newly anointed Presi- forward planning especially for injustice, inequality of opportunity ever after. Sadly, the very principles dent has been as vociferous against organisations. Such should have (whatever happened to the Equal which had guided Labour’s struggle the Labour Party as his erstwhile been the case for the Labour Opportunities Act?) uncertainty for decades were soon closeted and Leader Harish Boodhoo! Party which this week celebrates of employment commensurate ignored. Universal suffrage which its seventy fi ve years of existence, with one’s aptitude, insecurity had been one of its spearheads was Headless institutions. its diamond jubilee. But the event of job tenure, loss of purchasing soon to be denied to the nation. Vijay Makhan has been a sheer lack lustre one. power, widespread corruption, Elections were put on hold, by-elec- The diamond has failed to spark nepotism, rotting and therefore tions abolished, freedom of expres- Lest I forget: Navin Ramgoo- MMM member any kind of brilliance, let alone non-performing institutions like a sion curtailed, the press censored. lam says that Mauritius has a thri- shed any form of kaleidoscope on multi-headed cancerous monster Such was the stifl ing environment ving democracy. Yet, Municipal the population! For a Party which are gnawing at the country and in the country that the youth of the elections have been postponed for can pride itself on having steered corroding the fabric of our society. day who had enthusiastically joined unconvincing reasons! Institutions the country into independence, it the throng of the independence mo- including our Embassies abroad are should be a matter of concern to Fiery speeches vement started protest movements. headless 10 months after the general its leadership and establishment The MMM was born, taking up elections (to wit New Delhi). Others that it has lamentably missed such Labour’s most glorious years the struggle for social justice from are crumbling under incompetent a golden opportunity to fi re up were those lived before the country where the Labour Party had left it. hands. And then comes Medpoint! some oomph among its own sup- obtained independence. There were The students took to the streets. The So where is the vision and deter- porters and the population at large. such emblematic and towering elections of 1976 were a wake up mination? On its 75th anniversary Apart from the anecdotal incursion fi gures like Dr. Curé, Emmanuel call for politics in the country. Of the not a single document has come into certain lighter moments of the Anquetil, Guy Rozemont, Seenee- 62 seats contested, the MMM bag- our way to detail Labour’s vision Party’s history, its leader hardly vassen, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoo- ged 30. Labour took 25 and PMSD and aspirations for the country! All kindled the kind of effervescence lam, J.N Roy, B.Ramlallah, among 7 seats. Labour soon instilled the we have had are red unimaginative that the supporters legitimately others who gave the Labour Party practice of “transfugisme”! And posters, fl ags and banners! So much expected. Simply suggesting that a its mantle of people’s party. As an regrettably, all parties have suffered for a Party with 75 years behind it! country needs to be governed by adolescent, I recall taking time off from that scourge since. With all this, I am sorry if I do vision and determination doesn’t from my books to go and listen to Today’s Labour Party mem- not wish Labour many happy re- make it happen. These have to be the fi ery speeches of the likes of bership is full of turncoats! Yester- turns of the day but being a cour- practised assiduously and demons- Harold Walter, Kher Jagatsingh, day’s MMM Central Committee teous person, I shall simply say trated in each and every action un- Haroon Aubdool, Guy Forget, Sat- members have wriggled their way enjoy your birthday while the going dertaken. Labour, at the helm of cam Boolell and others. Yes, those into the Executive Committee of is good. l’express [ Friday 25 February 2011• Insert N° 3 INTERNATIONAL SCENE] p. 46 LIBYA Gaddafi , that’s enough! “LIBYA will lead America, Libya will lead Asia, Libya will lead the world! This march cannot be stopped”. In a air-waved diatribe that lasted 75 minutes on Tuesday, Colonel Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi , 69 years old, who sees himself as the Emperor of Africa and the Middle East’s strongest strongman (he is the longest serv- ing autocratic ruler in the region), Nad SIVARAMEN threatened death sentences to any- one who challenged his authority, the protesters in Libya as well as the international actors. Gaddafi has ruled Libya for 42 years and with time his chutzpah has become as famous as his eccentric looks. Unlike his ex-neighbors Ben Ali or Hosni Mubarak, he showed no intention of fl eeing his country de- spite a growing upheaval and inter- national condemnation. Instead he is issuing a vow of defi ance. And so Colonel Gaddafi of Libya who has been a highly controversial fi gure during his 42 years in power. far, to the wave of protests sweeping North Africa and Middle East, his Gaddafi ’s regime (which com- tions (the underdeveloped South). up his weapons of mass destruction brutal retaliation is the harshest. “I prises the Colonel and his sev- Guided by this viewpoint, Libya programme, and called for the crea- will fi ght till the last bullet (…) I will en sons). Abdel Fattah Younis, has been a strong supporter of na- tion of the United States of Africa. cleanse Libya house by house.” Libya’s Interior Minister and tional liberation movements against On the domestic front, Gaddafi On Wednesday, the UN Hu- Commander of a powerful com- colonial regimes. crafted a complex network within man Rights Council was holding a mando brigade, added his name the Libyan tribes to stay in power. Impact on oil special session to review the alarm- to the growing list of defectors. He A combination of Again he made use of his Third and the global ing fi gures – a death toll of about urged many other armed forces Universal Theory to proclaim that 1 000, killed by fi ghter jets, army to join the popular revolt. Several socialism and Islam classes were an artifi cial colonial economy soldiers and private mercenaries – pilots of fi ghter jets have chosen Just as he is doing today, he import. Defending Libya’s political that were coming out of Libya via to fl ee their country rather to fol- never hesitates to have recourse system in a conference at Colum- The turmoil in Libya, the Internet (mostly on Twitter and low orders to kill their compatriots to violent tactics – that some bia University in New York City, in holder of Africa’s largest Facebook). The UN was to recom- who were protesting peacefully. may coin terrorist methods – to March 2008, he stated: “There is oil reserves, will impact mend actions to stop the massacre But Gaddafi is very unpredict- advance his causes, to forward no state with a democracy except negatively on the global of the Libyan population of 6.4 mil- able and has a mind of his own. his agenda. Using his oil funds, Libya on the whole planet.” But it economy. Several ana- lion (more than half is now tearing He has a special way of using the Gaddafi is known to have facili- was no secret that Libya does not lysts, including Bloomb- down all the pictures of Gaddafi international relations to his own tated revolutions in Chad, Sierra have a free press and that people do erg, agree that protests in and other signs of his regime). advantage. And unlike Egypt and Leone, Morocco, the Philippines not have the right to protest. Libya pose more “system- Tunisia, the conventional military and Iran, and aided the IRA and Libya’s political system is a ic” risk to the global econ- Crimes against of his country cannot guaran- other violent groups in bloody at- combination of socialism and Islam omy than the upheaval tee the balance of power. He has tempts like the 1972 Munich Ol- derived in part from tribal practices in Egypt and Tunisia. Oil humanity purposely kept his military weak ympics. His intent is to promote and is supposed to be implemented prices rose, approaching Even Libyan diplomats to – except for the air force (that he his ideology outside of Libya, by the Libyan people themselves in $100 a barrel in New York, the United Nations, tradition- commands personally). supporting subversives and ter- a unique form of “direct democ- as Libya’s uprising threat- ally considered to be mere pup- Gaddafi knows from experi- rorists abroad so as to hasten the racy.” Gaddafi used the traditional ened to disrupt crude ex- pets of Gaddafi , have decided to ence that controlling the air is key to end of Marxism and capitalism. tribes to play one against the other. ports. The risk of higher renounce their leader. They now power. He is a revolutionary fi ghter All this, of course, has contrib- With money and patronage, he fuel prices is that they may call him a “genocidal war criminal” himself. In 1969, when he was 27 uted to tarnishing Libya’s inter- built up militias and armed “revo- leave consumers with less responsible for mass shootings of years old, inspired by the pan-Ara- national reputation and led to lutionary committees” that consti- to spend on other goods, demonstrators. They have called bism ideals of Egyptian President economic sanctions and to mili- tute the fi nal line of support for him hurt corporate profi ts upon him to resign. “We are sure Gamal Abdul Nasser, he success- tary attacks in mid-1986 (when and his powerful sons. According to and force central banks to that what is going on now in Libya fully fomented a coup to overthrow his adopted daughter was killed the former Libyan Interior minister, raise borrowing costs to constitutes crimes against humanity Libyan King Idris. Afterwards, he in a U.S.-led bombing of Tripoli these are expected to fi ght for him curb price increases. and crimes of war. We fi nd it is im- began to shape his own political and Benghazi). if the regular military forces turn Analysts say sharp in- possible to stay silent and we have system, the Third Universal Theory. But soon after, Gaddafi man- against him. creases in oil prices pose to transmit the voice of the Libyan The Third Universal Theory, aged to metamorphose from the Gaddafi is ready for a bloody the biggest threat to people to the world,” stated the dep- because it was based on the Quran, “mad dog of the Middle East” civil war. He has the weapons, the growth because consum- uty permanent representative, Ibra- predates both capitalism and com- (term coined by Ronald Reagan) money and the mercenaries. He ers suffer a sudden hit to him O. Dabbashi. Ironically, he was munism, stated Gaddafi . His theory to become an ally of the West in has nothing to lose, but a lot to purchasing power. They addressing reporters in the Libyan anticipated much of what has come the war against terror. He famously retain. How many more will have note that an almost 90 % mission in New York, just under- to be called the North-South divide, denounced Islamic fundamental- to be killed before he realizes that increase in the price of oil neath a large portrait of Qaddafi whereby the world is divided into ism as “nonsense” and stated that the people of Libya are calling for over a year was followed in tribal dress astride a white horse. natural-resource-consuming na- “no banner should be hoisted over change? Has he not suffi ciently by U.S. recessions in 1975, Top Army offi cials are also tions (the industrialized North) and the Arab homeland except the ban- eaten in 42 years? And what is the 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2008. relinquishing their support to the natural-resource-producing na- ner of pan-Arabism.” He also gave UN’s duty to Libyans? p. 47 [INTERNATIONAL NEWS Insert N° 3 • Friday 25 February 2011 ] l’express

Symbols of a world power which has never faltered since the end of World War II. US decline remains an open question PART of a historical progres- transition takes place between the a state of unprecedented reciproc- ly continues to thrive since its entry sess and trade. As a store value sion, the life cycle of hegemonic world’s leading superpower and ity. In doing so, countries previously into the US led international sys- or held as an asset, the dollar is empires is arguably preordained. China (along with the BRIC coun- jaded by war and newest independ- tem; it also uses the protections that the preferred currency. Japan’s The Romans, the Franks, the tries) the world will return to a neo- ent nations will further the pattern the system’s rule and institutions fastidious attempt to de-dollarize Hapsburgs or the Bourbons, all, Bismarkian system; one with great of cooperation and gradually re- offer. As a rising economic power- the Asian region after the Asian no matter how glorious, have been powers and no superpowers. duce the anarchy that previously house, China can curb or prevent fi nancial crisis in 97 is one ex- condemned to decay. In accepting But while the prophecy of plagued the world. any threat of discrimination and ample. Even during the recent this logic, many of today’s observ- a crippled US is the favourite protectionism through the WTO’s economic crisis and the current ers speculate about the brusque rhapsody of many, America’s The rise of the rest multilateral trade principle and dis- cycle of depreciation, there was decline of the American hegemo- combination of military and eco- pute settlement mechanisms. no sign of a credible alternative ny. According to these declinists; nomic power combined with cul- By discarding a remake of the Hence, if the rise of the rest on currencies and investors as the American century is over as its tural magnetism look to continue oppressive Treaty of Versailles; a (as Fareed Zakaria once labelled well as national banks are insist- virtues of free market, trade and well into the 21st century. Unique, Wilsonian US will affi liate West the emerging powers) is to come ent that the USD still remains technology are under stress. Simi- the US hegemony shows no im- Germany to the new international about, it runs deep through the US more fl exible in the tumult of any larly while militarily the superpower mediate sign of abating and it can system and bind it with its Western led order and its multilateral eco- economic crises as world inves- has successfully toppled the regime even be argued that its dominance European neighbours. Japan will nomic institutions and up to now tors seek safe havens. of Afghanistan and Iraq with an will be hard to overshadow. also assimilate to the multilateral most countries have greater encour- With a bird’s eye view on glo- unparalleled ease, it since has Precursor of a new global setting of the post war economy. agement for participation rather bal affairs one can ascertain that morphed into an occupying power framework after the devastations Furthermore, thanks to its ineffi - than opposition. a receding US would indisput- with shaky exit strategies. of World War II, America has ar- cient economic system, the Soviet Even now that the fi scal po- ably have profound implications It was in this context of eco- guably been a central source of threat to US primacy proved to be sition of the US looks precari- not only for itself, but also for all nomic and military exhaustion, the support and security to the world. futile. When the Iron Curtain was ous and that it may appear to be countries that have come to rely classic cliché of imperial overstretch, Synonymous with the theory of he- lifted, the US led system absorbed heading into a Bourbon France on it for their economic (and se- that historian Niall Ferguson once gemonic stability (which argues that a new wave of countries from the or postwar Britain course, the curity) well being. The United claimed that the most noticeable peace and stability among states is formerly communist family. world is still going America’s way States still has a formidable glo- characteristic of the American he- most likely when there is a single Triumphant globalisation be- and its symbols of supremacy re- bal presence that no other coun- gemony is its brevity. Paradoxically, dominant power) US international came the defi ning feature of world main unchallenged. try can yet match. And although while many are quick to toll the structure has also proved to be resil- affairs - a single global economy in Take for instance the Ameri- the reorientation of the world bells on US declining global clout, ient and incredibly expansive. which everyone is invested. Today can greenback: it remains one is ultimately inevitable, how or realists suggest that in our time too, In fact it is under the aegis of the economic interests and oppor- of the most credible icons of when this historical episode of history will evolve cyclically towards US liberal rule-based system co- tunities of most countries (includ- such power. Ingrained in the supplanting America will unfold a grand ascendance of Eastern erced through the WB, the IMF, ing the assertive BRIC) are parallel economy of many countries, it is remains an open question. powers especially China. Real- GATT/WTO that democracies with the current global economic still the lubricant of world com- ists also predict that as the power and market societies will cluster in system. China, for example not on- merce for other nations to pos- Benji MOUTOU p.48 WE MARK THE SPOT] Insert N° 3 • Friday 25 February 2011 ] l’express

The art of calligraphy Inscriptions of faith THE intricate designs you ideal way to do this. Minister Choo- holy book as the basis of each of did the artist obtain this effect? in Middle Eastern countries, see here are representations of a nee said that the exhibition is a re- his designs. “In this exhibition, Calligraphy requires skill, but al- and inscriptions in this art form unique art form specifi c to the minder of the cultural diversity of I wanted to use calligraphy as a so the use of special pens, which can be found on many buildings Muslim world: Islamic calligraphy. Mauritius, which is exceptional and means for people to understand the artist makes himself using in India as well. The art form is These works of art are currently makes the country a global model. the Holy Quran and Islam. The wood or bamboo, depending on based on the Arabic script, which on display at the Islamic Cultural He also said he was pleased the aim is education and knowledge,” the size required. “You need to for a long time was used by all Centre (ICC) in Port Louis and exhibition was promoting culture. he says. He has previously attemp- hold the pen in a specifi c way. Muslims in their respective lan- the exhibition was inaugurated by “We often think of Islam in terms ted freehand calligraphy, but this Calligraphy can be carried out guages. Calligraphy is especially the minister of Arts and Culture, of religion only and we do not look time wanted to make sure his de- on paper, wood or cloth, using revered among Islamic arts Mookheswar Choonee this week, at the cultural richness. We must signs were created in line with all China ink or watercolour,” says since it was the primary means in line with the celebration of Yaum make the most of this richness, dis- the laws of calligraphy. Hassen Edun, who adds that he for the preservation of the Qu- Un Nabi, the birth of prophet Mu- cover it and share it,” he added. favours the second medium as he ran. The work of calligraphers hammad. The artist behind these beau- French and English has worked extensively with it in was collected and appreciated. The president of the ICC, Dr tiful designs is Hassen Edun. His the past. Next to each painting at If you would like to discover this Farhad Aumeer, explains that the previous work includes landscape translations the exhibition, you can also see a particularly beautiful art form centre wants to promote Islamic and abstract paintings, as well as transliteration of the verse from for yourself, you can still catch culture, as it is too often known an exhibition in 1998 on the 99 The strokes are precise and the Holy Quran which served as the exhibition until Saturday only for its role in the Hajj pilgri- attributes of God. This time, Has- well defi ned, the colours are eye- inspiration, as well as a translation 26th February. mage. Calligraphy, as a popular and sen Edun was inspired by the Holy catching and each painting has its in French and English. respected form of Islamic art, is the Quran and used verses from the own distinctive identity. So how Calligraphy is very popular Melissa LOUIS Kreol korner]

Sime lalimyer– Path of light 12 years ago, Kaya died in police detention. Sime lalimyer was one of his most loved songs. RIP. NR

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