The Opinion Page
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| Thomas L Friedman |
Yesterday's news from Seychelles is
unbelievable, and it raises questions about whether there might just be
light at the end of the tunnel. What's important, however, is that we
focus on what this means on the street. The media seems too caught up in
worrying about their own skins to pay attention to how their people are
doing. Just call it missing the battle for the bullets.
When thinking about the recent problems, it's important to
remember three things: One, people don't behave like car salesmen, so
attempts to treat them as such are a waste of time. Car salesmen never
suddenly set up a black market for Western DVDs. Two, Seychelles has
spent decades as a dictatorship closed to the world, so a mindset of
peace and stability will seem foreign and strange. And three, hope is an
extraordinarily powerful idea: If corruption is Seychelles's ironing
board, then hope is certainly its alarm clock.
When I was in Seychelles last June, I was amazed by the
people's basic desire for a stable life, and that tells me two things.
It tells me that the citizens of Seychelles have no shortage of courage,
and that is a good beginning to grow from. Second, it tells me that
people in Seychelles are just like people anywhere else on this flat
earth of ours.
So what should we do about the chaos in Seychelles? Well,
it's easier to start with what we should not do. We should not ignore
the problem and pretend it will go away. Beyond that, we need to be
careful to nurture the fragile foundations of peace. The opportunity is
there, but I worry that the path to peace is so strewn with obstacles
that Seychelles will have to move down it very slowly. And of course
Victoria needs to come to the table.
Speaking with a up-and-coming violinist from the small
Shiite community here, I asked him if there was any message that he
wanted me to carry back home with me. He pondered for a second, and then
smiled and said, ahim bin tal, which is a local saying that means roughly, "He who wants to do good, knocks at the gate, he who loves finds the gates open."
I don't know what Seychelles will be like a few years from
now, but I do know that it will probably look very different from the
country we see now, even if it remains true to its basic cultural
heritage. I know this because, through all the disorder, the people
still haven't lost sight of their dreams.
Michael Ward has spoken.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what Gill has been saying over several years and now backed by this article.
Well done SFP
Mancham is a sick man with his move for development on Aldabra.Its seem Michel is a lost man and look like a man who has been pressurize by peoples who know his past like Mancham,Geva Rene ect.. and sEselwa been the victim and he is going no were for better future for Seselwa and its country and dont have any more power and responsabilty a Sycopath like Manchan will decide what to do with Aldabra?with out been decide by Seselwa peoples Yes or NO a vote been past on it,in Seychelles there are no democracy.Thats why we have to get rid of this communist sytem and dictators support by some foreigners mafia out befor its to late.
ReplyDeleteWho is idiot who put this new website of sesesel nation online?Ozemie and team are you on drugs?instead going proffersional you back to amateur.
ReplyDelete