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[Blog] Teachers’ Day : pourquoi ça compte

guest — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 06:20:44 +0000

[Blog] Teachers’ Day : pourquoi ça compte guest lun 06/10/2025 - 10:20

« Enseignant. Un mot simple, mais qui porte le poids d’innombrables responsabilités et attentes.

Pour beaucoup, les enseignants sont perçus comme des personnes qui sont là pour s’occuper des enfants. Lorsqu’un enfant se comporte mal en classe, la société se précipite pour pointer du doigt l’enseignant, se demandant si c’est ce que l’enfant apprend à l’école. Lorsque l’enfant se comporte mal à la maison, les parents disent encore : Est-ce que c’est ce que ton enseignant t’apprend ?

Mais la vérité est que sans enseignants, aucune autre profession n’aurait jamais existé. Médecins, ingénieurs, avocats, scientifiques — chacun d’eux a un jour été étudiant dans la classe d’un enseignant.

Aujourd’hui, les enseignants sont traités comme des employés ordinaires luttant pour joindre les deux bouts. Quand ils donnent des cours particuliers, par passion ou pour faire face au coût de la vie, ils sont jugés sévèrement.

Après un mois de vacances, les parents prient avec impatience pour la réouverture de l’école, car ils ne peuvent pas gérer leur enfant. Pourtant, nous gérons la classe, complétons le programme, jouons le rôle de guide, d’ami, de mère, de père, de frère, de sœur et de psychologue.

Dire que les enseignants méritent cette journée ne signifie pas que les autres professions sont moins importantes.Respecter un enseignant, c’est respecter le savoir, l’apprentissage et les fondations de la société. Quand les enseignants perdent le respect, la société perd bien plus qu’elle ne le réalise. »

Pradeepshika Sanmukhiya

[Blog] 9/9 and 9/11

Dr Michael Atchia — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 02:30:42 +0000

[Blog] 9/9 and 9/11 Dr Michael Atchia jeu 11/09/2025 - 06:30

9/9 (the 9th of September), the feast-day of Father Laval (our Père-Laval the missionary of the oppressed), is a day of pilgrimage. It reminds us of all those hundreds of places in the world, on all continents and islands, where men and women go on pilgrimage.

Year after year, they go in search of God and God’s grace. Millions go to the Ganges for purification-here to Ganga Talao- others go to Mount Abu or Velankani. Every year millions of Muslims travel the world to reach Mecca for the Hajj.

Others go to Lourdes/Fatima/Lisieux to pray to the Virgin Mary. Pilgrims go to birthplaces, especially to Bethlehem at Christmas or to Lumbini, the birthplace Siddhartha Gautam the Buddha. Others go to pray at the Wailing Wall.

Some pilgrimages such as the one to Santiago de Compostela are achieved by walking over 500 km, in stages, from France across the mountains, ending in the lovely church of Santiago in Spain.

9/11 (the 11th of September 2001) the day the twin towers in New-York were the destroyed, represents all that is evil and wrong in the world! 3,000 innocent men and women at work early one morning on the 11th of September 2002 were sacrificed to the evil tenets of extremism. It reminds us of the bombing and killing of innocents, one at a time (such as the murder of Mahatma Gandhi by an extremist, or the gunning down of JFK, of Benazir Bhutto of Anwar Sadat) to the daily bomb blast in Ukraine, to the murder in Gaza of over 60,000 people by Israel (20,000 of the dead were children), famine and destruction in Sudan, remembering the 6 million Jews, Roma and others deliberately eliminated by Hitler. Why? What for?

The deliberate fire-bombing in 1945 of Dresden in Germany (a city I know well, having the nineties directed one of the world’s first environmental training courses there). And the only use of atomic bombs against people as was the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 by the USA. All which killings of humans are in the same league as the destruction of the twin-towers.

9/11 represents human thinking gone very wrong. From those mistakenly linking a religion, for example Islam, to deliberate acts of terrorism, to the erroneous view that some races may be superior to others and to the totally undemocratic view that if someone is an opponent with whom one disagrees that person or persons is to be eliminated, as Stalin did to several millions of his countrymen. Gangsters from Chicago to Mexico do that! Is the world so full of such gangsters (or of gangsters camouflaged as politicians?) that in the last century, the 20th, almost 100 million people were massacred in 55 wars, including 2 of them World Wars?

Let us conclude on the positive and the sacred. As Chaucer said in his Canterbury Tales, at some time of the year “folks yearn to go on pilgrimage”. For whatever personal reason (purification, seeking guidance in life, cure either physical or mental) let us favour pilgrimages over any form of violence.

As this banner of my youth stated, when we walked the streets of London, together with Bertrand Russell, in 1962, in protest against the Atom bomb : Make Love, not War!

If you can, pay a visit to Ste Croix to the Crypt of Père-Laval and pray for peace on Earth and love for one another.

Dr Michael ATCHIA

6th September 2025.

[Blog] Perspectives : «Chindia», pure chimère à présent

guest — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 01:37:57 +0000

[Blog] Perspectives : «Chindia», pure chimère à présent guest lun 08/09/2025 - 05:37

La guerre commerciale lancée par les Etats-Unis d’abord contre la Chine et désormais contre l’Inde semble provoquer un séisme dans le paysage géopolitique mondial. Mais gare aux illusions

Par Ram Etwareea

Alliée traditionnelle de Washington, notamment au sein du Quad* et de l’I2U2**, mais sanctionnée récemment par l’imposition d’une surtaxe douanière de 50% sur ses exportations aux Etats-Unis, New Delhi vient de négocier un virage inattendu : elle s’est rapprochée avec le frère ennemi chinois. L’entente cordiale démontrée par le premier ministre indien Narendra Modi et son hôte le président chinois Xi Jinping en marge du 25e Sommet de l’Organisation de Coopération de Shanghai qui s’est tenu à Tianjin du 31 août au 1er septembre, a secoué le statu quo dans les relations internationales qui dure depuis la fin de la Seconde guerre.

Les deux géants asiatiques, l'Inde et la Chine, s'entendent déjà bien dans les forums internationaux. Lorsqu'ils s’expriment d’une seule voix, celle-ci pèse de tout son poids dans la prise des décisions. Par exemple, lors de la 5e Conférence ministérielle de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce en 2003 à Cancún, les deux pays, avec le Brésil et l'Afrique du Sud, tous d’habitude dociles face aux puissances traditionnelles, avaient refusé de céder à une exigence des négociateurs américains et européens. La conférence était alors partie en eau de boudin. Mais un nouveau dynamisme était né ; il a favorisé l’éclosion de l’association des pays dits BRICS qui de cinq pays émergents en 2009, ont passé à 11 depuis le début de l’année.

L’Inde et ses amis occidentaux

Le rapprochement Inde-Chine peut modifier fondamentalement le paysage géopolitique et diplomatique mondiale. Parce qu’en dépit d’appartenir au club des pays émergents, l’Inde a développé des amitiés puissantes avec ses partenaires occidentaux. Pour nombreux observateurs politiques, les administrations américaines successives ont fait les siens l’adage de « l’ennemi de mon ennemi est mon ami» et subrepticement alimenté l’inimitié historique indo-chinois née de la défaite des forces indiennes lors des affrontements dans les Himalayas en 1962. En s’associant avec Pékin, New Delhi vient de se démarquer avec Washington qui naturellement n’a pas caché sa nervosité face au rapprochement du Dragon et de l’éléphant.

En décidant de renouer avec les liaisons aériennes, en ouvrant trois passages terrestres à leurs frontières communes – les annonces ont été faites à Tianjin-, les deux voisins semble vouloir ouvrir un tout nouveau chapitre dans leurs relations bilatérales. En réalité, alliés naturels et voisins, les deux pays connaissent des enjeux, intérêts et défis communs, notamment en termes de développement économiques. En dépit d’une progression significative de leur richesse nationale ces vingt dernières années, une grande partie de leur population respective vivent toujours en-dessous du seuil de la pauvreté. Le Produit intérieur brut (PIB) d’un Chinois par année s’élève à 10 000 dollars et d’un Indien à moins 2900 dollars. A titre de comparaison, c’est 60 000 dollars pour un Américain. Les deux pays souffrent de déficit d’investissement et d’infrastructure. L’un comme l’autre est exposés aux défis du changement climatique et gagnerait de plus de coopération que d’adversité.

Après son tête-à-tête de plus d’une heure avec Xi Jinpin à Tianjin, Narendra Modi a parlé de « paix et de stabilité retrouvées » et a appelé à une « intensification des relations ». « Notre coopération répond aux intérêts de 2,8 milliards de personnes dans nos deux pays, a-t-il poursuivi, ajoutant qu’elle ouvrira également la voie au bien-être de toute l’humanité.» La Chine et l'Inde ont tout pour devenir des partenaires économiques de plus en plus importants. Inévitablement, les échanges et les investissements entre les deux pays sont voués à croître.

Leadership américain contesté

Sur le plan international, la Chine et l’Inde ont de quoi peser sur les grandes décisions. Ensemble, les deux géants augmentent leur influence et leur pouvoir de négociation ainsi que les moyens de donner une nouvelle orientation à la gouvernance mondiale***. Dans la guerre commerciale entre la Chine et les États-Unis, les Américains ont imposé leur décision de façon unilatérale, même si l'économie chinoise a montré une forte résilience. Pékin a notamment cherché des alternatives aux relations commerciales avec les États-Unis. Aujourd’hui, c’est l’Inde qui se voit imposer l’unilatéralisme américain.

Si l'Inde rejoint la Chine, les États-Unis seront moins agressifs, non seulement envers eux-mêmes, et seront contraints de mettre fin à leur tactique d’intimidation envers tous les autres pays.

Il est évident que le leadership historique des États-Unis est « contesté » par l’Asie en matière économique. L'Inde devrait contribuer à relever ce défi. Un monde unipolaire dominé par les États-Unis n'est bon ni pour la Chine, ni pour l'Inde. En fin de compte, il ne s'agit pas que la Chine et l’Inde deviennent les nouvelles grandes puissances, mais de se faire respecter à l’ONU ainsi que dans les institutions internationales.

Pour leur part, es États-Unis veulent à tout prix conserver leur toute-puissance militaire, technologique et économique. C’est ainsi qu’ils ont du mal à accepter l'émergence d'entreprises technologiques chinoises (Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, Xiaomi), concurrentes des géants américains tels que Google, Amazon, Apple et Facebook. Les Etats-Unis n’aiment pas la concurrence. Huawei, leader de la technologie 5G, illustre parfaitement l'incapacité des États-Unis à relever le nouveau défi posé par la Chine. Le jour où les entreprises indiennes prospéreront, elles rencontreront le même antagonisme aux États-Unis. La suspicion est déjà forte à l'égard des entreprises informatiques de Bangalore, d’Hyderabad ou de Chennai opérant aux États-Unis.

Concurrents et complémentaires

Il ne s’agit pas de faire de l’Asie le nouveau centre du monde, mais de défendre et de promouvoir le multilatéralisme. Mais il faut aussi corriger les injustices et anomalies dans les relations internationales. Par exemple, il est impensable qu’au 21e siècle, les Etats-Unis jouissent d’un droit de véto sur les décisions prises au Fonds monétaire international. Tout comme, il n’est pas admissible que les Etats-Unis et l’Union européenne se partagent les postes de dirigeants au sein du FMI et de la Banque mondiale. La « tradition » veut qu’un ressortissant américain soit toujours le directeur du FMI et un Européen à la tête de la Banque mondiale. En matière de monnaies, il a souhaitable d’en finir avec la suprématie du dollar dans les échanges internationaux.

Toujours est-il que 'Inde reste méfiante envers la Chine, ce qui a freiné les relations bilatérales. Cela s'explique par l'animosité persistante après la guerre sino-indienne de 1962. Il est impératif de changer les mentalités et de tourner la page. On ne choisit pas ses voisins. Quand la maison brûle, c’est le voisin vient en premier au secours. Les décideurs indiens devrait reconnaître que la Chine est un pays immense, doté d'une histoire et d'une civilisation millénaires, et qu'elle est également une formidable puissance économique. Si la Chine poursuit sa croissance, c’est l’Inde et toute l’Asie qui en profiteront. Et vice-versa.

Il s'agit maintenant de savoir comment les deux pays pourront se développer ensemble à l'avenir. Ils peuvent être concurrents, mais ils sont aussi très complémentaires. La jeunesse de l'Inde constitue une aubaine pour la Chine où la population vieillissante pose déjà des défis en matière de main-d’œuvre.

L'Inde et la Chine pourraient geler tous les différends frontaliers pendant 90 ans et consacrer les dividendes de la paix au développement. Les deux pays sont en plein essor, mais des millions de personnes de deux côtés de l'Himalaya restent pauvres. Depuis des décennies, de précieuses ressources sont dépensées en dépenses militaires, en vain. Certes, les frontières sont une question de fierté nationale. Mais il n'est pas si urgent de tracer des lignes dans ces montagnes arides, froides et inhospitalières. La question des frontières pourra être soulevée ultérieurement. Les enjeux pourraient être différents à long terme. Le sens des priorités doit prévaloir. Une bonne dose de bonne foi est nécessaire de part et d'autre pour y parvenir. Instaurer la confiance est le point de départ. La bonne nouvelle est que le protectionniste et l’unilatéralisme américains vient de donner une impulsion à la nouvelle camaraderie.

Un hic

Il y a toutefois un hic aux fiançailles du Dragon à l’Eléphant et à la concrétisation de «Chindia». Les Etats-Unis ne supporteraient pas l’idée de perdre une alliée traditionnelle comme l’Inde. Le président Trump a parié sur une stratégie qui apparemment échoué. Dans son livre The Art of the Deal (1987), l’homme d’affaires Trump affirme qu’en négociation, il faut affaiblir la partie adverse, la mettre à genoux et ne lui offrir aucune alternative que de se soumettre. C’est ce qu’il a fait en imposant les surtaxes de 50% sur les importations indiennes. Or, l’Inde n’a pas cédé et cherché à nouer une nouvelle alliance qui peut mettre un terme à l’influence américaine dans le monde.

On peut imaginer maintenant que Washington fasse volte-face. Malgré les insultes répétées ces derniers jours de la part des dirigeants américains, le président américain a lui-même donner des signes de vouloir rattraper le coup. Bref, ces prochains jours seront déterminants pour savoir si la belle idée de «Chindia» poursuivra son chemin ou non. (FIN)

NOTES

*Le « Quad » (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) regroupe les Etats-Unis, l'Inde, le Japon et l'Australie. Il vise à à renforcer la coopération militaire dans l’Indo-Pacifique, pour affirmer sa puissance face à la Chine.

Les États-Unis et l'Inde collaborent de plus en plus dans l'océan Indien dans le cadre du Quad et entendent contrer l'influence chinoise dans la région.

** Le I2U2 (Inde, Israël, Émirats arabes unis et Etats-Unis) veut approfondir la coopération technologique et militaire et à relever les défis transnationaux dans des domaines comme l'eau, l'énergie, les transports, l'espace, la santé et la sécurité alimentaire.

*** Why India and China should stand together. By Ram Etwareea. Chennai Centre for China Studies (Juin 2019)

Ram Etwareea, ancien journaliste, membre du think-tank Friends of Multilateralism (Genève), membre du Bureau politique du MMM et député de l’Alliance du changement.

[Blog] Let the patient be our compass

guest — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 04:46:24 +0000

[Blog] Let the patient be our compass guest jeu 04/09/2025 - 08:46

In the midst of escalating tensions between the Ministry of Health and the doctors’ trade union, the Mauritian public finds itself caught in a fog of grievances, accusations, and institutional fatigue. But beneath the noise lies a simple, sacred truth: the patient must come first.

The recent surprise visit by Minister Anil Bachoo revealed a troubling reality—medical officers absent from their posts during critical hours. This is not a minor infraction. It is a breach of public trust and a deviation from the Hippocratic oath that every doctor swears to uphold. Yet, in the aftermath, the discourse has shifted. The core issue of absenteeism has been diluted by a cascade of managerial grievances—delayed overtime payments, staffing shortages, and systemic debt. These are real concerns, but they are not ministerial failures. They are management challenges that require procedural clarity and institutional reform.

Let us not confuse the layers. Let us not weaponize one grievance to excuse another. The oath to serve is not conditional. It is not suspended by payroll delays or administrative dysfunction. The patient does not wait for budgetary alignment. The patient suffers in silence when systems fail and when duty is deferred.

Minister Bachoo has inherited a health system burdened by historical debt and structural inertia. His reform agenda—centered on regional excellence, urgent care reorganization, and cancer prevention—is ambitious and necessary. But no reform can succeed without the moral anchoring of those who deliver care. Doctors are not just employees. They are custodians of life. Their presence is not optional. It is sacred.

This is a call—not for confrontation, but for recommitment. I propose a Ceremonial Reaffirmation of the Oath, where doctors across Mauritius gather to publicly renew their pledge to serve, and where the Ministry commits to resolving managerial grievances with transparency and urgency. Let this be a moment of healing, not division.

The public, too, must rise—not as passive observers, but as moral arbitrators. We must demand accountability, yes, but also compassion. We must remind our institutions that governance is not a battleground—it is a covenant.

Let the patient be our compass. Let duty be our dialogue. And let this conflict become a catalyst for a more ethical, transparent, and united health system.

By Dharamraj Deenoo

A Civic Steward

Gaza: An operative solution through a peacekeeping mission, under the new format of a UN intervention force

Dr Michael Atchia — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 12:16:49 +0000

Gaza: An operative solution through a peacekeeping mission, under the new format of a UN intervention force Dr Michael Atchia mar 26/08/2025 - 16:16

Calling upon a State or several States together to formulate and enter a resolution at the United Nations Security Council for sending a peacekeeping force to Gaza, under the new formula of a UN Intervention Force for Gaza.

Calling upon States, members of the UN, to volunteer to each send 1,000 armed personnel to Gaza, entering via Egypt into the Strip, for a three-month mission.

An estimate of requirement is for 30 to 40 States to so volunteer.

When? Now, within 7 to 12 days. To stop the further occupation, further destruction, and more murders of innocent women, children and men.

The immediate objective: stop the genocide of Palestinians by Israel.

Since 2023, thousands of people in Gaza have been killed, as part of the genocidal objective of Israel to defeat and eliminate the Palestinians in Gaza. Out of a total population of 2.142 million (2024) of Gaza, 62,000 are already dead and the remainder are targeted. On 22nd August 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (a United Nations-backed global hunger monitor) stated that 514,000 people, close to a quarter of Palestinians in Gaza, are experiencing famine, with the number due to rise to 641,000 by the end of September.

The main tasks of the UN Intervention Force would be:

• Ceasefire from both Hamas and Israel.

• Ending famine. Entering Gaza from Egypt, the UN force will open the border and allow free access and traffic flow of food and other commodities to reach the different parts of Gaza.

• Ensure the complete respect of the ceasefire from Israel and Hamas.

• Allow the world press free access into Gaza.

• Hostages: Get Hamas to immediately release all the hostages they hold, including return of the dead, at the same time strongly requiring Israel to release Palestinian political prisoners.

• Overview the dissolution of Hamas as an organisation and its replacement by an organisation of their choice (e.g. a Palestine political party) whose objective would be the governance and development of Gaza/Palestine.

• Gradual retreat of Israeli forces.

• Allow access to technicians and equipment to clear Gaza and start its rebuilding.

• Calling for donations and assistance from all countries, to plan and oversee the reconstruction of essential systems for living (water supply, roads, shelter, hospitals, communication, schools, food production systems, civic infrastructure, trading facilities etc.), including a highway linking Gaza to the West Bank to allow free movement of Palestinians.

• PRDF: Setting up of a formal Gaza/Palestine Reconstruction and Development Fund (PRDF), to which we are certain many states and others would contribute.

• Other needed actions.

Calling upon States to volunteer sending a contingent of 1,000 personnel each. States of Europe (France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Scandinavian states, Portugal and Spain, Italy and Greece to name just a few); neighbouring States (Turkey, Oman, Doha, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt of course and others); States of Africa, America and Asia (Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand); plus a fewer number of volunteers from smaller States, including small island States, members of the UN.

UN Peacekeeping has helped countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to address a range of mandates set by the UN Security Council and General Assembly. A UN Intervention Force typically refers to units authorized to undertake offensive operations beyond traditional peacekeeping, the most prominent example being the FIB now operating in Congo.

The main causes of destruction of life on the planet are through wars, genocides, epidemics, famines, natural catastrophes, technology, nuclear bombs and soon the extremes of climate change and global warming. We are a small planet out of billions of others. Our planet supports life, especially conscious human life. How precious! How unique. We can only be grateful for life. All our actions and words can only respect life, protect life, and enjoy life—no place for destruction.

In 1942-45, the Allies and the rest of the world were unaware of the genocide of the Jews by Hitler, due to his extreme control over press etc. Today all the world knows and sees what is happening in Gaza, despite the efforts from his modern counterpart, Netanyahu, to try and block the free press in Gaza.

In this human civilisation of the 21st century, all countries and their respective leaders who do nothing for Gaza would be guilty of non-assistance to people in danger of death by genocide. Specifically, let us mention the complicit role of the USA which, under both Biden and Trump, provide Israel with arms and money to buy arms. Calling upon the USA to support this initiative, a solution for peace in Gaza. A US veto at the Security Council for an operative solution such as this one would be unacceptable! But President Trump can however stop this war ‘in a few days’ by backing such a resolution and sending a contingent of 1,000 US soldiers to join the UN Intervention Force.

Dr Michael Atchia

Past Programme Director, United Nations, Democracy Watch Mauritius.

mklatchia@intnet.mu

25 August 2025

[Blog] Palestine Reconstruction and Development Fund (PRDF), to which we are certain many states and others would contribute

Dr Michael Atchia — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 04:13:43 +0000

[Blog] Palestine Reconstruction and Development Fund (PRDF), to which we are certain many states and others would contribute Dr Michael Atchia mar 26/08/2025 - 08:13

*Other needed actions*

Calling upon states to volunteer sending a contingent of 1,000 personnel each. States of Europe (France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Scandinavian states, Portugal and Spain, Italy and Greece to name just a few); neighbouring states (Turkey, Oman, Doha, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt of course and others); states of Africa, America and Asia (Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia….., Australia and New Zealand…); plus a fewer number of volunteers from smaller states, including small island states, members of the UN.

UN peacekeeping has helped countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to address a range of mandates set by the UN Security Council and General Assembly. A UN intervention force typically refers to units authorized to undertake offensive operations beyond traditional peacekeeping, the most prominent example being the FIB now operating in Congo.

In 1942-45, the Allies and the rest of the world were unaware of the genocide of the Jews by Hitler, due to his extreme control over the press, etc. Today all the world knows and sees what is happening in Gaza, despite the efforts from his modern counterpart, Netanyahu, to try and block the free press in Gaza.

In this human civilisation of the 21st century, all countries and their respective leaders who do nothing for Gaza would be guilty of non-assistance to people in danger of death by genocide. Specifically, let us mention the complicit role of the USA which, under both Biden and Trump, provide Israel with arms and money to buy arms. Calling upon the USA to support this initiative, a solution for peace in Gaza. A US veto at the Security Council for an operative solution such as this one would be unacceptable! But President Trump can, however, stop this war ‘in a few days’ by backing such a resolution and sending a contingent of 1,000 US soldiers to join the UN intervention force.

Dr Michael Atchia

Past Programme Director, United Nations, Democracy Watch Mauritius.

mklatchia@intnet.mu

25 August 2025

[Blog] A contribution to solving the problem in Ukraine and achieving peace

Dr Michael Atchia — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 06:33:40 +0000

[Blog] A contribution to solving the problem in Ukraine and achieving peace Dr Michael Atchia mer 20/08/2025 - 10:33

To President Donald Trump, to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, to President of France, PM of UK, PM of Italy, Chancellor of Germany, PM of Holland and to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, present in Washington today 18th August 2025. And to Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation.

1. A call for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Negotiation and a referendum on self-determination to follow, leading to peace, security and reconstruction.

2. Join us in condemning war “as a tool of political action”. Instead let us use negotiation and where necessary arbitration, instead of missiles, tanks and bombs, hostages as “arguments”.

3. We therefore invite you to consider this proposal as a major tool for reaching an acceptable peace when you meet and start negotiations (with China/the European Union/UN/or other facilitators).

Based on the acceptance of the democratically elected government in Ukraine, to conduct a referendum (by UN for example) on self-determination by the people in Donbas, South Ukraine and Crimea, as to whether they wish to be:

• part of Ukraine,

• part of Russia,

• or become independent states (as per UN Charter for self-determination of people and nations).

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian civilians and young Russian soldiers have been killed and massacred uselessly, not to say criminally since the invasion, and this number will double if war persists. So we call for an immediate ceasefire: stop firing, talk, both consider the requirements of the other side. Sign an agreement, a peace treaty. After a ceasefire, and a peace treaty, we can start the rebuilding of Ukraine, a destroyed country. We support the full resumption of production and export of cereals, grain and natural gas from Russia. Sanctions should end and free trade be re-established as soon as possible. Your actions will be an example of how to end that other war, between Palestine and Israel.

Dr Michael Atchia

Past UN Programme Director, Democracy Watch Mauritius

mklatchia@intnet.mu

18th August 2025

[Blog] Participating in the Protest March in London against Genocide

guest — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 05:34:02 +0000

[Blog] Participating in the Protest March in London against Genocide guest ven 15/08/2025 - 09:34

On 9 August was held the monthly national protest march in London against the unspeakable genocide in Gaza. It was attended by a huge crowd of some 300,000 people. It started at around 12 hrs at Russell Square and the destination was 10 Downing Street.

I reached Russell Square one hour later and so joined the march at its tail end. Behind me, hundreds of people kept coming, and in front of me the crowd was so big that it could not be fathomed. On both sides of the road were multiple booths manned by volunteers, activists, and sympathizers. They were distributing pamphlets, newspapers, magazines — all dealing with the horrors being committed in Gaza in sheer impunity in front of the eyes of the world. Palestinian kefiyehs were being sold to collect funds for the children of Gaza who could still be saved before it is too late, as just pointed out by none other than Madonna.

The core of the crowd was composed of white British people who came in their thousands to manifest their anger against the inaction of the British government. There were young and old, rich and poor, disabled and non-disabled. All in a great moment of solidarity, they moved forward together with scores of Asians, Africans, Caribbeans, and so many others who have migrated to the UK from different parts of the world and now form part of the mosaic of British diversity. The most eye-catching was the presence of Jews in the manifestation. With their traditional costumes, they stood out in the crowd and carried banners with inscriptions like "Jews worldwide condemn unending Israeli brutality," or "Judaism condemns the state of Israel and its atrocities," or "Jews against Genocide."

Children of survivors of the Holocaust marked their presence to denounce the genocide and to point out that "never again means never again to anyone else."

The ambience was electric. Most of the protesters were carrying Palestinian flags and banners with inscriptions like "Stop the Genocide," "No to starvation," "Starmer is Starver," "No arms to murder children," "No trade with genocidal Israel," etc. Many were wearing Palestinian kefiyehs and T-shirts and were shouting "Free, Free Palestine," "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

The climax came when some 1,000 Britishers, having reached 10 Downing Street, opted for an action of civil disobedience. They pulled out their shirts and put on T-shirts of the banned Palestinian Action Group, which has been declared a terrorist group by the British government. They courted voluntary arrest by shouting slogans in favour of this group despite the fact that they were aware they could run the risk of being imprisoned for a maximum of 16 years.

Some 500 protesters, both men and women, were arrested by the police. Their aim is to force the courts to pronounce on the legality of the move by the British government to declare the Palestine Action Group a terrorist organization.

It was a great moment of solidarity towards the martyred people of Gaza.

Azize Bankur

[Blog] Never again the destruction of humanity

Dr Michael Atchia — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 13:53:09 +0000

[Blog] Never again the destruction of humanity Dr Michael Atchia mar 05/08/2025 - 17:53

Anniversary of Hiroshima: On 6th August 1945, an American atomic bomb was detonated on the city of Hiroshima, killing an estimated 130,000 people.

The main causes of destruction of humans and life on the planet are through wars, genocides, epidemics, famines, natural catastrophes, technology, nuclear bombs and soon, climate change and global warming. At a time when Russia, Iran, USA, and others are brandishing the nuclear threat, the story of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must be told again.

We are a small planet out of billions of others. Our planet supports life, especially conscious human life. How precious! How unique. We can only be grateful for life. All our actions and words can only respect life, protect life, and enjoy life. No place for destruction.

Has our real concern about climate change and global warming made us forget the threat of atomic war and other causes of death to human beings? Having written on numerous occasions on the nuclear safety issue in the past as well as being the author of the Nuclear Rectangle theory (a major nuclear war world could modify the orbit of planet Earth around the sun), I urge readers to join the worldwide campaign of the seventies to ban the bomb, to fight for nuclear safety. It is more than ever necessary today in 2024.

At present nine countries out of 193 countries on planet Earth possess nuclear weapons (atomic or hydrogen bombs), namely:

• Russia, 6,850 nuclear warheads
• US, 6,550 warheads
• France, 300 warheads
• China, 280 warheads
• UK, 215 warheads
• Pakistan, 145 warheads
• India, 135 warheads
• Israel, 80 warheads
• North Korea, 15 warheads.

With North Korea expanding its nuclear arsenal, other countries are trying to get the bomb (Iran for example?).

On the positive side, 4 countries including South Africa, that formerly possessed nuclear weapons, gave them up. One of the greatest fears today is that a terrorist organisation gets its hands on a nuclear device, some of which are small enough to get into a large lorry.

Radiation is the greatest enemy of life, of all organic living things on planet Earth. Remember the nuclear accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima, where radioactive material was released and affected people, animals and plants.

In this nuclear world, what is the meaning of 'safe'?

Are we reassured knowing who in these countries has his finger (or her finger!) on the nuclear trigger? Donald and Vladimir? Narendra and Shehbaz Sharif? Benjamin and Kim Jong-un? Emmanuel and Keir? Xi Jinping? Can we trust them?

Only one country: the United States detonated two atomic bombs, on people, in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima (on 6th August) and Nagasaki (on 9th August) in 1945. How many people were killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

The two bombs killed an estimated 130,000 and 225,000 people respectively, most of whom were civilians. The USA remains the only country to have used nuclear weapons to destroy cities and structures and inflict death, admittedly in an armed conflict, the Second World War. Therefore, a pertinent question for us: Are nuclear missiles and bombs stockpiled by the USA in the Chagos?

Never again to the deadly destruction of humanity, for example through wars (e.g. during the 30 or so wars of the 20th century, 2 of them world wars, 100 million humans were slaughtered!)

Dr Michael Atchia

(Former United Nations Programme Director)

(For Democracy Watch Mauritius)

6th August 2025.

[Blog] Gaza Genocide - Macron: the Chirac example

guest — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 06:22:07 +0000

[Blog] Gaza Genocide - Macron: the Chirac example guest lun 04/08/2025 - 10:22

For some time now, Emmanuel Macron has been announcing that France would recognize Palestinian statehood. A few days ago, he made his intention clearer by sending a letter to the Palestinian Authority in which he declared that at the next UN General Assembly to be held in September, France would officially give recognition to the Palestinian state. This is a major step forward, as although more than 140 nations have already done so, mostly from the Global South, it is the first major Western power to take this step.

By moving in this direction, Macron is following in the footsteps of Jacques Chirac. It would be recalled that shortly after his election as President in 1995, one of his major preoccupations was the bloodbath in former Yugoslavia. This war had been dragging on for more than four years, costing the lives of some 200,000 people, mostly Bosnian civilians who were the victims of Serbian violence, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing.

Despite the presence of UN peacekeeping forces, the violence continued and very often culminated in massacres like that of Srebrenica. Chirac could not tolerate this situation. He did not accept that the French troops within the UN peacekeeping forces could not retaliate when attacked. He expressed his vehement indignation at a mini cabinet meeting where he stated: "Nous devons réagir. Rendre coup pour coup. Nous faire respecter... Si c'est la guerre, eh bien tant pis, il faut la faire" (Scènes de la vie politique 1986-2006, Frantz-Olivier Giesbert). He forcefully denounced the Serbian barbarity and called on Western democracies to "se ressaisir" and not to accept the unacceptable.

Avoiding the hypocrisy of diplomatic language, he unblinkingly condemned what he called "les maniaques de la race pure". His powerful stance led to the awakening of other Western nations. At first, there was reticence on the part of the United States and United Kingdom. Finally, Bill Clinton called Chirac one night and a decision was taken for NATO to intervene in the conflict by bombing the Serbian forces, which capitulated soon after. On 14 December 1995, the Dayton Accords were signed at the Élysée between Alija Izetbegović (on behalf of Bosnia), Franjo Tuđman (Croatia), and Slobodan Milošević (Serbia). The Accords led to the creation of a Croatia-Muslim Federation and a Serbian Republic, resulting in a lasting peace.

During Chirac's presidency, French exceptionalism manifested in different ways. One would recall his outburst against the Israeli police's high-handedness, who prevented him from hobnobbing with Palestinians during his visit to Jerusalem. He also strongly opposed the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. The speech of his Minister of External Affairs, Dominique de Villepin, at the UN Security Council, remains a masterpiece in eloquence.

It is hoped that the initiative of Emmanuel Macron will have a snowballing effect and will eventually bring an end to the genocide in Gaza with a long-term solution for both Israelis and Palestinians. Already, many other nations, like Canada, for example, have expressed their intention to recognize Palestinian statehood. Right at this moment, there is a high-level conference attended by some 100 countries at the UN on the subject of the two-state solution. There is a glimmer of hope.

Azize Bankur