Leaders are meant to lead but in the land of non-literate admirable people (NLAP), they are led. In the world, millions of children, women and men are up in arms in the fight against global heating and climate crisis. In the land of NLAP, the led leaders are promising high income, wealth and luxury, i.e. business as usual. The NLAP can impose their will for they have the power of symbol voting – reading and writing are luxuries they despise.

Femicide is a very serious problem in the Maritime Republic of Mauritius (MRM) but the all-male leadership only makes vague emotional remarks about mindset change. The main political parties do not believe in gender equality for they are adamant supporters of patriarchy and believe women are inferior beings which is also what NLAP generally believe.

Since machos rule over NLAP as well as political parties on the one hand and more and more girls and women are raising their voices against harassment, violence, rape and murder, on the other, it is very likely that there will be more atrocious forms of femicide for the phallocratic individuals and gangs resent the fact that their powers, privileges and authority are questioned and challenged.

Civilized nations all over the world are fighting child marriage but in MRM, the main political parties boast of their attachment to democracy and yet do not oppose child marriage because they need the votes of those criminals who are binding children on the bed of sex slavery. Instead of leading the struggle, leaders are “arse-licking” scoundrels to get elected.

Things are not going to get better for the national will to change is almost absent. The MRM leaders are opportunists and liars whose interests are tied to big money here and elsewhere. They thrive on ethnic and casteist votes and if one ethnic group or caste sneezes MRM leaders catch cold. Advocacy work should continue and public protests encouraged until the tipping point is reached and then watch how quickly the opportunists will turn their coats and “deklar piti pa pou zot”.

Meanwhile, let us hope that this abridged version of “IF” by the much-criticized and equally much-admired Rudyard Kipling may give some of us food for thought.

If by rudyard kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too…

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools…

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, …you’ll be a Man, my son!

The Mauritian version

Si

Si to tini ferm kan lezot sapé

E pe rod fer kwar twa ki pe foté;

Si to sir to pwen kan lezot douté

Me to sey konpran kifer zot tiké…

Si to konn fer fas viktwar ek defet

E tret touledé kouma zot dwatet;

Si to pa manga kan to dekouvert

Pe itilizé pou kouyonn lezot…

Si lafoul swiv twa san to vinn vantar,

Si to mars ar gran san bliyé tinwar,

Si doushmann ek dos pa fouti tor twa,

…to finn vinn gayar, monwar.