Letter to the Editor- Mancham adds his name to clemency call |18 April 2013

In the circumstances of the case which have made headline news in Seychelles over the last few days, it would be unwise, unintelligent and provocative to take any initiative and/ or make any comment which could stir a proactive hostility on the part of the Egyptian judiciary. Egypt may be a land of divided problems today but it must be acknowledged and accepted that the Egyptian people is part of a great civilisation.

Against this background, what can we do to save the lives of the three Seychellois who were recently sentenced to death for drug trafficking?

Personally, I believe we have no alternative but to ask the Egyptian authorities for clemency and to pray and plead for mercy to prevail.
Diplomacy certainly has an important role to play. The arrival of the Egyptian Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, who generously donated medical relief supplies to the people of Seychelles in the wake of the January flooding, clearly indicates that Egypt sees Seychelles as a friend and is certainly desirous of promoting closer bonds of goodwill and friendship between our two nations. Our request for clemency must therefore be considered against the broader framework of humanitarian consideration within the context of international relations.

As founding President of the Republic of Seychelles who won the Gusi Peace Prize for Statesmanship in 2011 and who won the International Jurist Award for my contribution to global peace in 2010, as an elected member of the Committee of Elders of Comesa (which has Egypt as one of its most important members) and as a person who represented the African Union at the recent Egyptian Presidential election, I would like to add my name to those who are today praying for clemency and mercy for the three Seychellois sentenced to death.

James R. Mancham