Truth,Reconciliation and National Unity Commission - Hearing number 183 General witnesses called in to provide contextual evidence |23 July 2021

Mr Belle

Two general witnesses were called before the Truth,Reconciliation and National Unity Commission to provide contextual evidence to aid the commission to better understand the circumstances around the coup d’Etat and years subsequent to it.

Former member of parliament Daniel Belle

Mr Belle appeared before the commission to provide contextual evidence regarding what it was like in Seychelles prior to the coup of 1977, and in particular, the veracity of the claims that have been made before it, that late former President James R. Mancham was himself planning to institute a one party state and make himself President for life.

Mr Belle took the commissioners back at least 50 years to 1964, when Seychelles was still a British colony. During the same year, both the Democratic Party (DP) and Seychelles People’s United Party (SPUP) political parties were formed, and each had their own newspaper.

Moving on, the general witness unravelled for the commissioners the decade between 1964 and 1974, stating that those 10 years were characterised by political strife between DP and SPUP, after DP claimed victory over SPUP during the three elections held in that timeframe. According to Mr Belle’s account, despite the fact that the country was yet to gain independence, tensions had mounted between the two political opponents, and when SPUP lost, people were scared as there were fires all over the mountains and late former President France Albert Rene encouraged riots against the system.

Additionally, Mr Belle recounted how self-government started with Mr Mancham as Chief Minister on an advisory council with both legislative and executive power alongside other British officials. At the time, the DP was not pushing for independence, but wanted integration with England, as is the case between France and Reunion, as the British authorities were backing Mr Rene, he added.

He told the commissioners how DP managed to secure 13 seats, while SPUP secured only two in the 1974 elections, and again there were fires, and even bombs, said Mr Belle. Just prior to independence, in 1975 England had drafted an interim constitution in preparation for independence, he recalled thatMr Rene “was all for the coalition” proposed by the British authorities then. When Mr Mancham assumed leadership of the country as President in 1976, Mr Belle took up Mr Mancham’s seat in the National Assembly and occupied the seat for 11 months until the coup took place.

He also told the commissioners that once the two party leaders agreed to a coalition government, they both agreed that elections would be held in 1979. Mr Belle, however, noted that during the coalition with Mr Mancham as President and Mr Rene as Prime Minister, Mr Mancham grew in popularity both locally and overseas, as he was delivering. With the two years of coalition, the political strife which characterised the previous decade was eroded, he told the commission.

Further along the session, Mr Belle told the commissioners how he had first-hand heard Mr Mancham say that he had been warned by various parties including Kenyan intelligence officials that he should rid of Mr Rene, as he posed a threat and was capable of many dangerous things.

Mr Belle himself left Seychelles in November 1977 to further his studies in France upon receiving a scholarship by Mr Rene. At the time he was working in the DP Office, although the party had been banned. Mr Belle returned to Seychelles in 1993 for the restoration of democracy in Seychelles.

The commission will re-schedule Mr Belle to provide further evidence in due time.

Former SPPF district coordinator Jean Ragain

The commission requested the presence of Jean Ragain, a former Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (SPPF) district coordinator to help understand the role of the different district branches in the community.

In particular they were interested in the district that Mr Ragain served, the roles and functions of the district authorities at the time, and the activities in which they were engaged.

Mr Ragain started off telling the commissioner when he joined, there were three other coordinators already at the Maison du Peuple. Each coordinator was assigned around four districts to oversee, and to carry information and party directives from the SPPF head office to the district branches. He described how between 1977 and 1981 the structure was not well established, and when branches held committee meetings, they would decide on activities to be held at district-level, and coordinators would attend these committee meetings to ensure decisions taken are in accordance with the directive of the central committee.

Coordinators got involved in the planning of activities and election activities and recruitment of new party members among others with the objective of moving the masses to join the party and grow the party base.

Mr Ragain, although not justifying his actions or those of the SPPF party, noted that both of his parents were deeply-involved in politics and sided with SPPF. He also denied that they were at the time involved in the issuance of security clearances, although he acknowledged that it was at a point handled by district branches further down the line.

He said that between 1982 and 1984 it was not necessary that they do much, as there was no opposition, and it was a one-party state. Mr Ragain also told the commissioners how many party supporters were not necessarily aware of what was going on in the country, as news and information was manipulated so as to control the population.

Mr Ragain also told the commission how he then left for further studies in Cuba where he studied political science. Upon returning from Cuba he took up employment with the Ministry of Education, teaching political science in institutions such as the National Youth Service (NYS) and Seychelles Polytechnic. He later felt discouraged and left the ministry, focusing on his own personal affairs.

The commission resumes on Monday July 26.

Laura Pillay