Campaigner for victims: Barry Laine
18th February 2025
By Lewis BetsyThe Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity process is concluded. The outcome is abundantly clear and endorsed by the final determinations of the process. There is however a daily sourc... more...
Contenders: Presidential candidate Alain St.Ange, right, with Vice-Presidential candidate Daniella Payet
14th February 2025
By Lewis Betsy With the Presidential elections not due for eight months, the political scene in Seychelles is already hotting up.Former Tourism Minister Alain St.Ange has announced his independen... more...
Giving evidence: Lewis Betsy at the TRNUC hearing in 2019. Picture courtesy of Today in Seychelles
24th January 2025
By Lewis BetsyThe Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC) completed its hearings in 2022. We are now in 2025, almost three years on, and nothing has happened.Why?The victims of the... more...
Time for unity: Lewis Betsy
23rd December 2024
By Lewis BetsyGreetings of the season to you all.So many things are said at this time of year that are meant to be joyful, but are just empty words. I too have a message this Christmas and I will get ... more...
Seychelles National Football team in 1970: Lewis Betsy is on the back row, fourth from right
2nd December 2024
By Lewis BetsySeychelles football is in a terrible state and it is time for a change.The election for a new committee of the Seychelles Football Federation is on the 7th December and I urge the repres... more...
Inspirational: Gerard Hoarau
22nd November 2024
By Lewis BetsyThe anniversary of the murder of my friend the freedom fighter Gerard Hoarau will fall on 29th November. It is said that time can heal a hurt, but after 39 years I still feel a terr... more...
Lewis Betsy at graveside
9th September 2024
By Lewis BetsyI hold very dear the memory of my close friend Gerard Hoarau, who was assassinated outside his London home in 1985.Gerard was a proud fighter for a democratic Seychelles and paid the ult... more...
Westminster Abbey National Day of Seychelles Evensong
3rd July 2024
A Special Mass (Evensong) was held at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the National Day of Seychelles.I was privileged to be among the guests from the Seychellois Diaspora who were invited.It was an e... more...

What will it take for our President to help the victims of the brutal Rene regime get closure?

24th January 2025

Giving evidence: Lewis Betsy at the TRNUC hearing in 2019. Picture courtesy of Today in Seychelles
Giving evidence: Lewis Betsy at the TRNUC hearing in 2019. Picture courtesy of Today in Seychelles

By Lewis Betsy

The Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC) completed its hearings in 2022. We are now in 2025, almost three years on, and nothing has happened.

Why?

The victims of the Rene regime are still waiting for justice. President Ramkalawan who took power in 2020 promising many things to the people who suffered so terribly after the 1977 coup d’etat is sat on his hands.

We are in painful limbo. We have no closure.

The Government has appointed a committee which includes Michael Green, George Bibi and Mrs Nicole Tirant Gherardi to deal with the issue in hand.

What has happened? So far nothing. I gather that since its appointment this committee has not been given a budget or even an office.

Meanwhile, the victims are still waiting. I guess someone has estimated that there is a limit to how long people can wait. Many victims have passed away already. How cynical is that?

I think the perpetrators are the winners here because they are all walking around town laughing like there is nothing that is going to happen to them.

That is unjust.

Yet, while our President has done so little for the victims, others have been more far more helpful and productive.

I want to take the opportunity today to express my sincere thanks to the committee of the TRNUC Association of Victims (AOV), especially Barry Laine, Regis Francourt, Bernard Sullivan, and Livette Hermitte. They have put in a lot of hard work to get this far. 

So now is the time for all victims – and I am one – to sit down and focus on the issue in hand …and the actions of the Government of the day which is the LDS.

Everything now, of course, depends on which Government we have after this year’s elections. Who, I ask, will be successful in winning the vote of the victims?

We want action but have to be careful and not be swayed by any “alternatives” offered. We have come this far together and throughout all the backlashes we have stuck together. Everyone, particularly those in Government, should realise that we are strong enough to carry on the work until the end.

Since giving our depositions to the Commission, things have been difficult. My case was Number 2 and I have now realised that the LDS party used the TRNUC to get into power.  All these years on, they are still taking their time to address the issues of justice, reparations and compensation that we all long for. 

Indeed, the issue of compensation has been put on the back burner and as a victim under the Rene regime I must express my personal concern on what is going on and what will be the final outcome.

I was detained without charge or trial in 1979 and it is a sad thing that at this late stage, 46 years on, I am still having to express my concern at the way we victims have been treated.

Today I am calling on all victims to focus and stay together until the issue of compensation is settled.

There is no doubt in my mind that one day some sort of settlement will come forward.

Only then will Seychelles be at peace so the people can move forward in unity. 

Unity has always been my focus and I believe that one day we will have a Government for the people of Seychelles so we can all live in harmony and peace together. May that day come soon.

Latest News

Victims of the coup must stick together to get Ramkalawan to act
18th February 2025
Campaigner for victims: Barry Laine
By Lewis BetsyThe Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity process is concluded. The outcome is… more...
I want to be President of Seychelles, says Alain St.Ange
14th February 2025
Contenders: Presidential candidate Alain St.Ange, right, with Vice-Presidential candidate Daniella Payet
By Lewis Betsy With the Presidential elections not due for eight months, the political scene… more...
What will it take for our President to help the victims of the brutal Rene regime get closure?
24th January 2025
Giving evidence: Lewis Betsy at the TRNUC hearing in 2019. Picture courtesy of Today in Seychelles
By Lewis BetsyThe Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC) completed its hearings… more...
Let us have love, peace and unity this Christmas
23rd December 2024
Time for unity: Lewis Betsy
By Lewis BetsyGreetings of the season to you all.So many things are said at this time of year that… more...
We need to change the Seychelles Football Federation committee… they are ruining the game for us
2nd December 2024
Seychelles National Football team in 1970: Lewis Betsy is on the back row, fourth from right
By Lewis BetsySeychelles football is in a terrible state and it is time for a change.The election… more...
We remember with pride the heroism and sacrifice of Gerard Hoarau
22nd November 2024
Inspirational: Gerard Hoarau
By Lewis BetsyThe anniversary of the murder of my friend the freedom fighter Gerard Hoarau will… more...
We pay our respects to the memory of my brave friend Gerard Hoarau
9th September 2024
Lewis Betsy at graveside
By Lewis BetsyI hold very dear the memory of my close friend Gerard Hoarau, who was assassinated… more...
National Day for Seychelles commemorated at Westminster Abbey
3rd July 2024
Westminster Abbey National Day of Seychelles Evensong
A Special Mass (Evensong) was held at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the National Day of Seychelles.I… more...
February's News
News Archive