Tuesday, March 16, 2010

MMM It's all about belief/L'Express ID/16.03.2010

MMM

It’s all about belief…

Had an epiphany at the end of February. A revelation, as crystalline as the absurdity of life in a Kafka novel, that had to do with an over four decade old purple patient’s longing to finally get out of the political reanimation room to which it had been confined since 2005.


With leaks in the press of a meeting between two of the most followed domestic politicians surfacing, like others, I came to the realisation that the MMM and its leaders were not determined enough to pass the Litmus test of their credibility as a vivier d’idées and as capable decision makers in the next general elections. This latest retournement de veste is yet another one in the party’s long lineage of veering away from the true path of sticking to its core ideals. Even more dangerous is that this MMM stance offers a stark contrast to Navin Ramgoolam’s blasé style…and further widens the divide between the party and its militan and further irks the population.


And thus, the long list of recriminations against Ramgoolam Jr instantly evaporated, forgotten amidst the desire to return to power while the customary leeches saw yet another opportunity that shall allow them to suck on some of that taxpayers’ money. Members of the party that had acted as thought leaders in papers or had vocally expressed their condemnation of this regime’s actions on radio waves have seemingly quieted for their share of the cake. You would have expected the younger members of the MMM to manifest their discontent against this gluttony for power. Que nenni. Settling selfishly for an entry in the good books of the party heads, they have effectively confirmed their dearth of mettle. Having witnessed that damning ambition that cripples minds and mouths and even more so among the youth ranks of my own party, my disenchantment with Mauritian politics further grows…

My MMM days

Every now and then, with my good friends Arnaud and Benoit, we muse on those ideas that would allow our country to breathe again and dream of a land where law and order would no longer be the most aching of issues, where the education system would finally set the bases for a thinking society and when the Alliance Sociale’s mirage, the democratization of the economy would finally materialise. Our selfless conversations often become broad discussions on the ideological meaning of socialism and the importance of never thinking of our own petty interests but more importantly of that of many. It is not an easy task, I admit, to forfeit one’s needs. But it is a path that I have chosen and unconquerable my soul shall remain.





Being reasonably happy with our respective professional situations, we could have joined one of those ineffectual organisations or clubs where members fight more to be known than for the greater good of society with PR campaigns to dowse themselves in, what Warhol termed, their quarter-hour of fame. Foolishly we have decided against this great networking tactic and chosen to try and change things for real. Utopists? Definitely, but the power to dream is that vital elixir that takes a country to new heights.


An absence of values…

I now comprehend that the real issue plaguing the mauve heart is not solely its absence of ideas or competent members, which incidentally is very much real, but more importantly the lack of belief in itself. And it dates to decades ago. In 1982, with victory beckoning we chose to take on board an unneeded ally. And since then, repeatedly in 1991, 1995, 2000, 2005, our battles have been solely a question of being in a duo rather than doing it the ethical solo way. Till this deficiency in faith be cured, no return to prominence can be achieved.





The leader of the MMM, unaware of his role as the the Pied Piper of Hamelin leading his party to death, might against his own better judgment and influenced by some , be sacrificing our last drop of credibility supposedly for the greater good of the nation. The Prime Minister must be relishing his present position with the other two parties begging for his acquiescence for a 5 year ballad. The outcome if the MMM fails to get Navin's approval? Would it make any sense to fight against someone you had been courting previously?



When a party runs out of ideas and convictions, it naturally chooses the coward’s way out. Let’s be brave comrades.

Chetan Ramchurn

militan