Remembering 5th June

The 5th of June is remembered sadly every year by the people of Seychelles and especially by the relatives of those who were killed on that day. It is also a day when the people of Seychelles remember and are left to wonder how this small country with its friendly, peaceful and innocent people was robbed of their idyllic way of life. In 1977 the country had just been granted its independence and before it had the opportunity to start enjoying their status as a burgeoning democratic state, a group of unscrupulous men decided that they knew what was best for their compatriots. They alone would rule the Seychellois people, their way. Their dictatorship turned out to be the Seychelles’ worst nightmare.

With a ruthless, vindictive and power hungry leader these men took it upon themselves to bully, terrorise, steal and murder their own countrymen. Their justification for imposing their one party state dictatorship was that democracy was divisive and in essence that the people of Seychelles were too illiterate to make their own informed choices within a democratic system. Those who opposed them were dealt with in the most ruthless manner, which often meant paying the ultimate price. Unfortunately, one of those that were killed on 5th June 1977 was Mr. Son Chang Him.

Mr. Chang-Him was my neighbour many years ago when I was a child living in the sleepy village of Bel Ombré. At that time this small village was a thriving, friendly place where everyone greeted, helped and passed the time away mingling with each other. The house that my parents rented was located next to the Chang- Him family. I remember them as being a very close and loving family with their mother Jocelyn caring and paying constant attention to her family. Flowerbeds and a large branch that we the children would sit and play on separated their house from ours. Even after we moved away, I would often think back on those pleasant days of playing on that branch with the Chang-Him children.

Many years later I was shocked to hear that Mr. Chang-Him had been shot dead. The killing had taken place on 5th June and the year was 1977. I remember thinking of this lovely family and the children I played with and feeling so sad for them and asking the inevitable question of why? Today 38 years later, where the group that committed these crimes have made themselves a legitimate government governing in their own dubious ways and never answering the question of why was it so necessary that so many Seychellois were killed, made to disappear, victimised and imprisoned. The list of crimes committed against the people is endless. To the shame of it I and many other people are still left wondering what instigated the worst of animalistic instincts in this small but demented group of Seychellois driving them to oppress, torture and murder their own as they did. The 5th of June is without any doubt the most notorious day of infamy in the history of our little archipelago, the beautiful islands of Seychelles.

Source: +Josette Hoarau