Whether the recently-established Church-State Co-ordination Committee has produced any positive results on the government's human rights records. [SYC8757]

The Church-State Co-ordination Committee was set up in the fall of 1990 by Seychelles President France Albert René. The Indian Ocean Newsletter (8 Sept. 1990, 5) states that the goal of the Committee is, according to the President's Office, to work towards a better understanding between the Church and the State through constant dialogue which will promote further collaboration between them for the benefit of the country and the people.
The U.S. Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1990 (1991, 333) noted that the Committee, made up of the Minister of Administration and Manpower as well as the heads of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, was formed "to foster cooperation on social, cultural, and moral issues." The report notes that by the end of 1990 the Committee had been able to bring about "few significant changes" (Ibid.)
A survey of the Indian Ocean Newsletter, one of the few periodicals available to the IRBDC which covers the Seychelles, indicates that since the forming of the Committee, perhaps the most positive reform on the human rights front in the Seychelles has been the reduction of the compulsory National Youth Service from two years to one (15 Sept. 1990, 6). The attached section from Marcus Franda's The Seychelles - Unquiet Islands (1982, 93-97) includes a description of the National Youth Service, which has evoked strong criticism in the past. The Indian Ocean Newsletter notes that despite the reform, new regulations require students, to attend 'compulsory' summer youth camps, or even at the week-end, where they will learn 'to work and study together like brothers and sisters,' and prepare for the NYS" (15 Sept. 1990, 6).
Since the formation of the Committee as well, President René has banned the Anglican Reverend Wavel Ramkalawan from broadcasting views critical of the government (The Indian Ocean Newsletter 27 Oct. 1990, 5; 15 Dec. 1990, 4), harassed Jean-François Ferrari for distributing tracts advocating multi-party politics and attempting to publish a newspaper calling for democracy (Ibid. 10 Nov. 1990, 4; 24 Nov. 1990, 4), passed a new passport law abolishing recourse to the law courts for those who have been refused a passport (Ibid. 5 Jan. 1991, 5; 16 Mar. 1991, 5), and arrested a young docker accused of distributing anti-government documents (Ibid. 25 May 1991,6).
Further information on the subject is currently unavailableto the IRBDC.
Attachments:


Franda, Marcus. 1982. The Seychelles - Unquiet Islands.
Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, pp. 93-97. Cover page currently unavailable to the IRBDC.
The Indian Ocean Newsletter [Paris]. 1 September 1990. "Seychelles: National Youth Service: Time for Revamp?"
_____. 8 September 1990. "Seychelles: State-Church Joint Committee Founded."
____ . 15 September 1990. "Seychelles: National Youth Service Reduced to One Year."
____ . 27 October 1990. "Seychelles: Priests Target for President Albert René's Wrath."
____ . 3 November 1990. "Seychelles: Sermon and Open Letters for Democracy."
____ . 10 November 1990. "Seychelles: Limits of Freedom of Expression."
____ . 24 November 1990. "Seychelles: President Albert René Receives Dissident."
____ . 15 December 1990. "Seychelles: Church and Government Not Seeing Eye to Eye."
____. 5 January 1991. "Seychelles: New Passport Act."
____ . 19 January 1991. "Seychelles: Prospective Referendum on Reforms?"
____ . 16 February 1991. "Seychelles: Bishop Felix Paul Visit Australia."
____ . 9 March 1991. "Seychelles: Forthcoming SPPF Congress."
____ . 16 March 1991. "Seychelles: Passport Issue Law Finally Passed."
____ . 25 May 1991. "Seychelles: 'Emergence' of New Clandestin Opposition Party."

Bibliography


Franda, Marcus. 1982. The Seychelles - Unquiet Islands.
Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, pp. 93-97.
The Indian Ocean Newsletter [Paris]. 1 September 1990. "Seychelles: National Youth Service: Time for Revamp?"
____ . 8 September 1990. "Seychelles: State-Church Joint Committee Founded."
____ . 15 September 1990. "Seychelles: National Youth Service Reduced to One Year."
____ . 27 October 1990. "Seychelles: Priests Target for President Albert René's Wrath."
____ . 3 November 1990. "Seychelles: Sermon and Open Letters for Democracy."
____ . 10 November 1990. "Seychelles: Limits of Freedom of Expression."
____ . 24 November 1990. "Seychelles: President Albert René Receives Dissident."
____ . 15 December 1990. "Seychelles: Church and Government Not Seeing Eye to Eye."
____ . 5 January 1991. "Seychelles: New Passport Act."
____ . 19 January 1991. "Seychelles: Prospective Referendum on Reforms?"
____ . 16 February 1991. "Seychelles: Bishop Felix Paul Visits Australia."
____ . 9 March 1991. "Seychelles: Forthcoming SPPF Congress."
____ . 16 March 1991. "Seychelles: Passport Issue Law Finally Passed."
____ . 25 May 1991. "Seychelles: 'Emergence' of New Clandestine Opposition Party."
U.S. Department of State. 1991. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1990. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.