Ahmed Afif Of Lalyans Seselwa Fights Back!

Ahmed Afif

I note the response of this day by State House rebutting the validity of information we have received concerning some planned ambushes against key members of Lalyans Seselwa. The statement further urges me to substantiate these allegations. 

For many reasons, however, I will not divulge the sources of my information as I cannot and will not compromise the safety and security of my sources. How can I trust the security services when to this date they have not resolved cases involving direct attacks against pets and property of members of Lalyans Seselwa as well as the opposition in the period leading to the Presidential elections? At least 9 dogs of two opposition party leaders were killed in 2 separate incidents at their residential premises within a space of a few days only recently. At my home, I have noticed on several occasions in the recent weeks, vehicles said to belong or operated by the state security apparatus either tailing me or parked close to my residence. The occupants of these vehicles look hostile and threatening which I suppose is part of the intimidation campaign which has failed miserably. 

One well known member of the security services, who was the subject of a recent arrest and subsequently released, openly said to our campaigners that after the elections he will personally strangle me to death. In the case of my wife who is an active member of Lalyans Seselwa, she has been openly threatened by activists of LP in their LP t-shirt at her working place. We have reported it to the Police and to this date, nothing has been done or heard from the authorities. 

LP’s rag People Plus along with their social media smear group Dan Lari Bazar has openly made grave allegations against me including being involved in the drugs trade all of which are spurious, without factual basis and without precedent. In the case of the leader of Lalyans Seselwa, the state ordered his arrest against allegations that appear to have been fabricated with the object of harassing, creating fear and intimidating him. Do they expect that as opposition leaders, we should now take these new reports lightly and not inform the public of what we view as serious threats? It is not sufficient for the state to just deny those reports. 

I urge them if they wish to show some semblance of credibility, to resolve the reported cases of attacks against opposition leaders especially those in Lalyans Seselwa and to report publicly on what steps they have taken so far to stop the campaign of terror and intimidation against citizens who are fighting for a better life free of corrupt practises and discrimination. I also urge them to stop fabricating lies about opposition leaders in a way which is malicious and politically motivated especially in the run up to the forthcoming elections. I also eagerly await to see if this statement receives the same attention by the official state media which did not even bother to contact me before reading out a statement from the authorities reacting to a matter which we raised in the first place. 

It is a fact that the state apparatus and the party are one and the same which is why a regime change is needed!