“This is like rubbing
salt in the victim’s wounds. Maybe the Commission should do something about
this,”
Holden Pierre appeared before the Truth, Reconciliation and National
Unity Commission (TRNUC) on Tuesday, 15 October to give evidence supporting his
complaint against the government for illegal arrests, detentions, harassment
from state personnel, exiled, forced closure of business and unlawful land
acquisition.
by N. Esparon
Before giving his testimony,
Pierre pointed out a concern that he believes would go against the very principles
and objective the Commission is trying to achieve. He noted, that following
some research, he has learnt that a statue of former President Albert Rene is
to be erected in Peace Park in November this year, alongside former President
Sir James Mancham and former President Nelson Mandela.
“This is like rubbing salt in the
victim’s wounds. Maybe the Commission should do something about this,” explained
Pierre as he believes this would exacerbate the situation.
 |
| Holden Pierre giving his testimony |
Pierre was a Member of Parliament
during the 1st republic and was an elected member for South Mahe in
1970 and 1974. After the coup, he was first arrested on the night of 28 June
1977 and taken from his home at Anse Royale by force and taken to the Central
Police Station in Victoria. He was searched and locked in a cell. He recalled
the atmosphere was full of intimidations as the police station was surrounded
by soldiers armed with AK47 as they had taken over the building. Although he
was released the following morning, it would be his first experience of state
abuse and the first of many that would follow thereafter. According to Pierre,
it was a traumatising experience for the whole family, especially as his wife
was 6 months pregnant at the time and his 6-year-old son witnessing his arrest.
His ordeal continued on 15
November 1979, when he was arrested for a second time by the army. Pierre claimed
during that time his human rights were violated as he was dragged from his home
at Anse Royale once again and upon arriving at the Police Headquarters, he was
served with a detention order and put in a prison cell. Later that day, Pierre
was transported to Union Vale Prison as part of a large convoy of detainees which
would ultimately turn out to be their place of incarceration for months. Up to
7 people were put into an over-crowded cell with no mattress or anything
adequate to sleep on, described Pierre. In total there were approximately 100
detainees at the Union Vale Prison. Just before Christmas, after being
incarcerated for more than a month and without any explanation or due process,
Pierre was taken to the Police Commissioner, James Pillay and was subsequently
released.
Following his release from prison
in 1979, Pierre continued to get harassed and monitored every single day. His
office at Kingsgate House was under constant surveillance and so was his home
at Anse Royale. He also laid claims that his phones were bugged and he was
constantly followed by army officers whenever he was driving around. Under
immense pressure and threats, followed by the constant harassments, Pierre was
left with no other choice but to leave Seychelles for the United Kingdom in
1981. Fearing for his safety and that of his family, he took up political
asylum in the UK knowing he can never return to Seychelles under the regime at
the time as he was placed on a blacklist. As a result, he couldn't attend his
brother's funeral which took place in Seychelles in 1991. Pierre also claims of
rumours that his brother, Hedge ‘Tito’ Pierre may have been poisoned and killed
by ‘Tonton Makout’, a term used to describe the assassins working for the
state.
During his testimony, Pierre also
described how he was followed whilst living in London, especially when the
other exiled Seychellois met with each other. His home in the UK was bugged and
recorded by agents working for Rene's government. One incident involving
recordings of Gerard Hoarau and other exiled Seychellois in a meeting in room
412 at the Carlton Hotel, which was played back on the radio in Seychelles.
This incident was later known as ‘Konplo 412’. Gerard Hoareau was gunned down
in 1985 and killed. His murder is still unsolved to this day.
Soon after Pierre left Seychelles
for the UK, his insurance business and company, Interagency Seychelles Ltd was
forced to closed down and was acquired by the state. No compensation was ever
paid for the theft of his insurance business. Pierre was also forced to close
down his shipping and clearing business as a result of the aftermath of the
coup.
Whilst Pierre was still in the
UK, the land belonging to his father Alexandre Deltel at Anse Royale was
confiscated by the state, this includes a piece of land his father has given to
him which he built his house in 1968. To date, nothing has been done to return
his house and property to its rightful owner and no compensation given, even
after approaching Albert Rene and James Michel when they were president.
To note, many of the detainees
were persecuted and arrested on suspicions of distributing a local political
paper by the Opposition Party, Mouvement Pour La Resistance (MPR), headed by
Gerard Hoarau. Pierre proceeded to describe the content of the very first
edition of the paper which showed how Albert Rene abused his position as the
Chairman of the Land Committee at the time by purchasing 2 pieces of land in
the National Park at Sans Sousis totalling 5120 square metres and this was
later sold to his wife in 1973. A transcript of the land transaction was handed
over to the Commission as evidence.
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| Evidence of the SHOCKING REVELATIONS that Albert Rene was already secretly taking land; 2 plots at l`exile from the Government. |
Source:Today in Seychelles
