A Praiseworthy Effort

From Our Archives –A Glimpse into 1961

By A. I. Cassimally

The 25th January 1961 issue of Trait d’Union most certainly deserves wider publicity. It contains, besides the Christmas messages of last year from various countries, messages of goodwill from members of the Mauritian community “dans le cadre de la semaine de la charité fraternelle.”

The local contributions are from: (1) Mr Guy de G. Sells, British Council representative; (2) Messrs Pierre de Sornay, Jean-Georges Prosper, and H. L. D., on behalf of “La Société des Écrivains Mauriciens”; (3) Mr Régis Fanchette, for the “Centre Culturel Français”; (4) Mrs K. Hazareesingh, Secretary of the Indian Cultural Association; (5) Mr A. Joomaye, President of the Islamic Cultural Association; (6) Mr Ng Kwet Chan, on behalf of the Chinese Youth Federation; (7) Mr John Beckett, representative of the International Voluntary Service; and (8) Mr Max Moutia, speaker at the MBS.

Although each contributor has viewed the problem from a different angle, all have expressed their faith in the possibility of “charité fraternelle” and its ultimate fulfilment.

How inspired Mr de Sells must have been when he wrote: “To pause and refresh the mind by a conscious effort to replace perversity by understanding, bigotry by tolerance, enmity by affection — an indispensable exercise if there is to be any hope of healing the breaches and repairing the rents which disfigure the fabric of humanity.”

The main argument of Mr Régis Fanchette reminds me of the four “freedoms” of Franklin Roosevelt. Is it not the truth itself which crystallised from the pen of Mr Fanchette when he wrote: “Et nous restons des êtres avortés, écartelés, tronçonnés parce que nous avons peur de nous-mêmes et des autres.” Mr Fanchette concludes on what may appear to be a paradox: “Réjouissez-vous plutôt de nos différences, de notre particularisme, de nos idiosyncrasies. ‘Enrichissons-nous mutuellement de nos différences,’ disait, je crois, Valéry à Gide.” Mr Fanchette may be a naïf, but how much better the world would be if there were many more like him.

Mrs Hazareesingh, on an optimistic note, reminds us that “in any case our difficulties are insignificant when compared to the tragic events which are now taking place in other parts of the world.”

The discourse of Mr Joomaye on “charity” comes from the typical Islamic angle: “Every good act is charity. An exhortation of your fellow men to virtuous deeds is equal to alms-giving. Your putting a wanderer on the right road is charity. Your assisting the blind, your removing stones, thorns and other obstacles from the road is charity.” He ends by saying: “Only through kindness can man claim to be the rightful heir to God’s creation.” How finely put!

Perhaps the most poetical contribution comes from the pen of Mr Ng Kwet Chan. The opening paragraph stuns us with its amazing simplicity and disarms us by the strong faith the poet places in the brotherliness of man: “Si je suis ici à vous parler aujourd’hui, c’est que j’ai foi en la Charité Fraternelle. Je suis confiant que le jour n’est pas loin où tous nos préjugés disparaîtront à jamais pour faire face à la Fraternité.”

One can sense immediately that these words come straight from a noble heart. Mr Ng Kwet Chan further says: “Aucun effort ne doit être épargné, surtout quand il y va de notre bonheur. Et il n’y a jamais de vrai bonheur pour nous-mêmes sans le bonheur des autres.”

As a poet and philosopher, he epitomizes his thought: “A mon avis, aucun problème tant moral que matériel n’est insoluble si nous sommes capables d’aimer notre prochain.”

Of course, a man like John Beckett, who incarnates by his actions and his deeds the “charité fraternelle,” can talk on that subject with authority; he exhorts us not to throw “la pierre à son voisin” or judge all his acts. Max Moutia’s message is similar in many respects: “Les pauvres, ceux à qui on fait l’aumône, ceux qui ont besoin d’aides de toutes sortes, peuvent aussi pratiquer à leur manière la charité en se montrant dignes, en bannissant tout sentiment d’envie ou de rancune envers ceux qui leur font du bien.”

We offer our congratulations to Mr Edwin de Robillard, the editor, founder, and “animateur” du Secrétariat Social, and with l’Abbé Pierre, we formulate the hope that “une étincelle va jaillir dans le monde, qui allumera à travers tout l’univers un amour concret des hommes les uns pour les autres.”

8th Year – No 338
Friday 24th February 1961

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 19 June 2026