Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Johanne Prosper
Published on 2024-02-23 06:00:21
“My dear compatriots,
88 years ago, on February 23, 1936, at the call of Dr. Maurice Curé, 8,000 workers had gathered at the Champ-de-Mars to launch a liberation movement against a regime that practiced exploitation, discrimination, and oppression.
It is in the fight for the rights of the voiceless, for social justice, and the respect for human dignity that the Labour Party was born, thanks to the political commitment and unwavering dedication of the party’s pioneers.
On February 23, 1936, the movement for the liberation of the country from colonial rule was underway. This movement for freedom and the creation of a Mauritian nation would last 31 years until the general elections of August 7, 1967, the most important election in the history of the country.
The Independence party, composed of the Labour Party, CAM, and IFB, led respectively by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Sir Abdool Razack Mohammed, and Sookdeo Bissoondoyal, won these general elections with 56% of the votes. This electoral victory laid the foundation for a liberated, independent, and sovereign country, and throughout the following five decades, the Labour Party has continued to work towards building a Mauritius shaped by national unity, social justice, and economic progress.
88 years of history. 88 years of struggle. 88 years of commitment from the Labour Party, which is part of the DNA of our country. I salute the memory of the five other Labour Party leaders who, before me, sacrificed their lives for us and our freedom: Dr. Maurice Curé, Emmanuel Anquetil, Guy Rozemont, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, and Sir Satcam Boolell.
Today, I have the responsibility to lead with our allies, the MMM and the PMSD, a new liberation struggle against a regime that has confiscated our freedoms, trampled on our rights, squandered our heritage, and established a mafia that has infected our institutions. But the hour of deliverance is near. Indeed, as we celebrate the 88th anniversary of the Labour Party, we are also faced with an equally crucial election year for the future of our nation.
After the elections of 1967, the upcoming 2024 elections resonate once again as those of liberation, and it will be vital to make the right choice. This choice will ensure that the current and future generations can live in a just, prosperous, and sustainable Mauritius.
On this special day for the Labour Party, I invite the entire Mauritian nation to rally around us and our allies to restore hope, to defend our rights, to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable, and to build a future where everyone will have the freedom and opportunity to achieve their dreams.
“Faced with our history, let’s look to the future. Long live the Labour Party.”
Navin Ramgoolam
Leader of the Labour Party”
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
