Acts of violence and reports on them in the media have taken on much importance in Mauritius recently. Various individuals and organisations concerned by this question have highlighted the issues and marches against violence have taken place to raise awareness on this debilitating disease affecting our society.

Now some political leaders are talking of educating our citizens in human rights issues; it has even been decided to have a Centre for Human Rights on the island. Shakti Callikan and others have formed the Right Now movement to inform people about their rights through education and support.

The media were worried enough to ask whether Mauritians were developing a culture of violence. I remember Loga Virahsawny?s campaign In ?Mauritius: strangled by our own silence? where she painted a grisly picture of violence.

She referred to the rape and sodomising of a 78-year-old woman in her home in the affluent region of Floreal; the brutal sexual assault and murder of a 20-year-old university student, Nadine Dantier, in June 2003; and the well-publicised gang rape of Sandra O?Reilly, a young woman professional. She wrote that these cases provide enough evidence that underneath the layers of Mauritius? seemingly calm and progressive society, are deep-seated misogynist tendencies.

The Mauritian branch of Amnesty International from October to December last year within the context of Women Empowerment Year along with other activities from the Ministry of Women?s affairs launched a campaign to raise awareness about domestic violence, poverty and children?s rights.

Our people are willing to address this culture of violence if proper backing exists; we have plenty of local experts and social engineers to lead the way forward out of this abysmal situation. Prof. Khalid Mamud of Pakistan in his book, Culture of Violence (2001) noted in this connection: ?We must learn to live and let live to save society from friction, disorder and fragmentation.?

Elongated adolescence

Statistics on violent crime have consistently shown that most victims know the perpetrator as an acquaintance, friend, or family member. In many societies, family violence is considered a private matter and often goes undetected and unreported. Mauritius is a small island affected by a level of violence that frightens us all. Law-abiding citizens are made to feel insecure. They look towards the leaders to take appropriate steps to bring the situation under control. Which they now seem to be doing; and many members of our society are getting involved in this action.

From overseas, looking at the way they are tackling the problems we feel proud at last that Mauritius is rising to the challenge. I for one would not like to see my motherland being labelled ?Violent Mauritius?as an expatriate living in Glasgow having to read headlines such as?Violent Scotland? (The Herald, 15 Dec,?05). We must never allow ourselves to go down this way.

The Herald editorial observed: ?The number of killings has reached a 10-year high. Last year, there were 137 victims of murder and culpable homicide, 137 lives cut tragically short, 137 grieving families.? This follows a United Nations study that identified Scotland as the most violent country in the developed world. The editorial talks of young men who mature physically earlier thanks to better nutrition ?but who in the wake of the decline of heavy industry, mature socially later because so many of them lack decent employment opportunities. In this elongated adolescence, many suffer from a sense of dependency and defeatism that makes the spurious respect afforded to ?hard men? seem appealing. The ready availability of knives and cheap alcohol completes the picture. Decons-tructing this culture and putting something more positive in its place is the central challenge facing Scottish society today.?

Early intervention is the key. We need a society where a young man earns respect for the way he lives his life not for a blade stashed in his pocket. This is what they are working towards; so should we. If we don?t act now, we will end up in a worse situation than the Scots.

In a separate in-depth analysis of the report in the same paper, Lucy Adams, the Home affairs correspondent noted: ?The problem is so serious that Strathclyde Police have set up Britain?s first violence reduction unit to bring the killing under control.? Cathy Jamieson, the Justice minister, said the violence reduction unit will be transformed into a centre of excellence for violence prevention; and new laws such as tougher penalties for carrying knives and binge drinking will be introduced. Professor Vince Egan, forensic psychiatrist at Glasgow Caledonian University, working with the VRU, said the efforts to combat the violent image would be slow and gradual as Glasgow is one of the poorest cities in Western Europe.

Prevent the stigma

Mauritians take great pride in their country and its history. I am indeed glad to learn of the work that is already afoot in Mauritius to ensure that we do not follow the Scottish example. We must do all we can to prevent this stigma from being attached to our paradise island.

For once let us all cooperate and make it possible for all forms of violence to be eradicated from our country and experience peace and harmony as the national anthem goes: ?Around thee we gather as one people, as one nation in peace, justice and liberty.?

Dr David LINGIAH