Mauritianism, you say !!

Which Mauritianism, your version of it ? Look at the ways we are reacting to a private clip that should not have gone viral and to the untimely criticisms of the PM blaming "some" for raising their voices when the state grants them religious subsidies every year.

Have a close look at the comments in the traditional press and on social media ! One group is up in arms defending we do not know what when we have some very Indians making even worse jokes about their own kind. But for this group, it is all a question of “us v/s them” . The other group, the “them” or 'Zot', brandishing the flag of Mauritianism, and playing down their own sensitivities to such issues, feels that the reactions to the not-so-innocent video are an exaggeration.

On the second issue the reactions are even worse (a stupid PM who could not have chosen a worse moment). Suddenly our Mauritainism seems to have evaporated ; the us v/s them schism have become contagious. The ones who have been arguing that we should not mix up religion and politics have become the “Zot”-anti-Mauritian. Those that do not subscribe to their version of Mauritianism-minority against majority, Nu ban v/s Zot, us and them- are now being cast aside as part of Zot.

Why, because they dare to argue that the main issue is not the criticism directed at Cardinal Piat but about the subsidy to the religious bodies and the role of religion and its representatives in a truely secular state. They believe that in our multi-racial society it would be better, for our own good ,to keep religion separate from politics and economics. They loathe the politicization of religion and the religious collaborators with political power. Holding our politicians to account for failing to build a dignified and inclusive society should be the concern of all socio-cultural groups as well as the people of all faiths.

However, the source of our inequity, the lack of economic opportunities and access to our physical and social assets is our flawed economic system. The political elite is at the beck and call of the economic elite and helps to reinforce the status quo. And often the powerful religious institutions have no problem in accommodating with such an unfair system and in conjugating with the political elite to promote their narrow identity politics -a religion-based identity , that damages our social fabric and thwarts the efforts at national integration. The fight for a real change of the economic system ends up in a fight for the few crumbs and bones left over by the economic elite.

Is this the type of Mauritianism that you are you talking about, the one which veils your small mindedness; just by your comments one can see that you are now showing your true colours and refuse to grow out of the "protège nu ban” mentality. How are you different from the “rodeur boutes” - the new generation of cronies that is being created and the unaccountable elites with their own vested interests ?

Every time, we carry out the same show, because we have become consummate schizophrenics, perfecting it daily-being a fake Mauritian national and a true ethnic Mauritian. Le comble !!! We feel so proud about it!!! Everyone is complicit - we the people, the media, the politicians. We are corrupting the concept of “Mauritianism”

Our hopes for human improvement are no longer served by encouraging a recognition of universal human interests but by pitting group against group- Nu ban v/s Zot . Our loyalties are still stuck up to our religious fundamentalism, our caste, our community and ethnicity..

But there is still hope for our rainbow nation from our untainted youth; their yearning for change is our greatest ally and we can rely on them to alter the political matrix by demolishing the shibboleths of dynasty, caste and communalism or ethnicity and radically restructure the economy on more egalitarian , self-reliant and sustainable lines.

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8Raj Ramlugun, Harish Chundunsing and 6 others

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