Church leaders support President’s call for calm |11 October 2006

This comes in a joint communiqué released yesterday by the Catholic and Anglican bishops, Denis Wiehe and Santosh Marray respectively.

President Michel’s statement in which he appealed for calm and asked religious leaders to join him in relaying the message, followed reports that there could be more unlawful gatherings similar to the one staged by some opposition supporters on October 3 when the National Assembly was debating an amendment to the Broadcasting Act. The amendment, among other things, prohibits political parties to have their own radio and television stations.

It is to be recalled that the police were deployed to disperse the October 3 gathering and in the ensuing melee some opposition supporters received injuries.

Referring to this incident, the bishops’ joint communiqué said: “The Church does not in any way condone violence and it is not a question of who was right or who was wrong, but to regard the interests of the nation as paramount.

“In this context, we strongly urge the opposition party to desist from any gathering of their supporters because this serves to heighten the tension and anxiety of our people. It also undermines any effort at effective dialogue between the parties concerned,” said the communiqué.

Denouncing the October 3 events, the bishops commended the initiative to open dialogue between President Michel and Opposition Leader, Wavel Ramkalawan.

“This is an important step in the process of reconciliation between the governing party and the opposition,” said the bishops’ communiqué.

The bishops have also welcomed and supported the announcement from the President of an official, impartial enquiry into the October 3 events.

“We pray that God will continue to bless this nation and that peace, stability and the respect for law and order will reign unabated,” the joint communiqué said.

It is worth noting that the bishops’ communiqué was issued after another illegal assembly by opposition supporters outside the police headquarters on Revolution Avenue at around midday yesterday.

The illegal assembly took place despite the statement and offerings of President Michel and his appeal for calm which were read on Monday night on SBC television and radio and published in the Seychelles Nation newspaper yesterday.