Welcome Home
by Wavel Ramkalawan
Leader of the Opposition and the SNP
The people of Seychelles welcome home our seven men who were taken hostage by ruthless Somali pirates. After enduring some three months in tough conditions, they arrived back home on Tuesday. We are indeed grateful to the Almighty for having watched over them and their families during that time. We are all happy and we wish all of you strength and courage as you spend time with your families and get back to a normal life.
As we welcome back the seven brothers from the Indian Ocean Explorer, the nation is aware that not everyone is back. The three men form the Serenity are still in the hands of the pirates. They remain in our intercessions and we pray that they too, will be reunited with their loved ones. We urge the authorities to double all efforts for them to be back the soonest.
The ordeals our people went through are indeed terrifying. The one thing that comes out of all this for me is how evil human beings can become. For greed and self-enrichment, our race will go to extremes, leaving aside all ethics and human considerations. The concept of preserving the innocent does not exist in their jungle calculations. The philosophy is indeed one of the toughest takes all.
The 10 Seychellois taken hostage were in no way harming the Somalis. They were going about their own business. These men were away from their families working for their daily bread. In fact, they would have helped anyone who was in trouble at sea. I am sure they would have probably stopped to help had they come across a small skiff with some tired looking men on board. Unfortunately the Somalis had another agenda.
I was really touched at the way everyone at the airport got their priorities right. The first word of thanks went to God. So much faith was expressed. The hostages too talked about the time they spent in prayer. The families present didn’t miss the opportunity to openly express their continued prayer in support of Gilbert, Conrad and their families. To me, this was a nation coming together at such an important time. The solidarity expressed was being done through the right source, in other words, the acknowledgement that with God, everything good is possible. I am sure we all know that this should be our model and focus. This will set our country back on the right track.
When you talk to the former hostages of their experience, of the way they were treated, the living conditions and the home coming drive, one has to express admiration for their bravery. For a man to have to ask permission to fulfil the basic bodily needs is so humiliating. To have to account for everything one does, and for one to have to pray without making it obvious, are just reminders of extreme slavery. Listening to those stories was for me like reading what happened during slavery. The world still has a long way to go.
Every Seychellois was behind the release of all our countrymen. The National Assembly had a special session that resulted in a bi-partisan statement of solidarity for the men and their families, and the condemnation of piracy. All the churches organised special prayer sessions for the welfare our hostages. Our prayers of course will continue. There should be no  Seychellois hostage anywhere in the world.
In the light of all the solidarity, support and prayers offered by the whole nation, I find it very difficult to understand the statement by Minister Morgan that someone in Seychelles contacted the pirates to urge them not to release the Seychellois because our country had got money! I cannot imagine a single Seychellois who would not be happy to help with securing the return of our countrymen. I do not anyone trying to make it more difficult.
This weekend all the churches will once again have special prayers of thanksgiving for the safe return of the seven former hostages while they will also pray for the release of the other three men. Our people will continue to come together in times of national tragedy. Our strength as a nation far surpasses our divisions. And no politician should try to use a national tragedy for political gains. He will fail.
At this time I join all the families as they share the joy of seeing their loved ones again. May the tough experience enrich the quality of your relationships and may everyone learn to appreciate each other in new and better ways. Out of this tragedy, may positive understanding emerge. I also pray that your lives may go back to normal as you get new employment and try to put the tragedy you experienced behind you. Everyone supports you and your family. The nation however will not be at rest until all those who fell victim to Somali piracy are back home.
Source: Regar 6-26-09