{"id":35377,"date":"2022-08-12T15:52:17","date_gmt":"2022-08-12T11:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/?p=35377"},"modified":"2022-08-12T15:52:17","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T11:52:17","slug":"renganaden-seeneevassen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/renganaden-seeneevassen\/","title":{"rendered":"Renganaden Seeneevassen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mauritius Times – 60 Years<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Last Journey…<\/span><\/u><\/h5>\n

By Hon Dr Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The death of Renganaden Seeneevassen has removed from our midst one of the most illustrious figures in our history. The country is shocked by this sudden and shattering tragedy, and the people have been struck dumb with grief, for he was always a man of the people. They have already given him a funeral reserved only to Princes and Kings. As in life so in death he towered above everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"B. Ramlallah, Editor of Mauritius Times, with Renganaden Seeneeevassen at Gymkhana Club, Port Louis<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We have hardly recovered from our first shock to realize the immensity of our public loss. Renga leaves a gap that can never be filled. To me a close and personal association of eighteen years has abruptly come to an end, at a time when his experience and guidance are most needed in the shaping of our future. But God’s will must be done, and in his robe of simpleness he is now before his Maker. Let us pray for his rest!<\/span><\/p>\n

The country has lost one of its ablest sons and the poor and the humble their closest friend. He consumed himself in their service. We all know that the principal task of his life was to merge himself with the people whom he served loyally and faithfully to the end of his life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Renga was a great democrat, and it is rare to find a man actuated with such high principles and ability of spirit. In the short time of his political career, he has achieved a fame which will go down to posterity.<\/span><\/p>\n

He leaves behind him an example and a name to be remembered by generations to come. Such men are rare, but when they take root amongst us, we must learn to prize their memory so that the country may not be left behind in the vanguard of progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

Renga dedicated his life to the service of the country, and in all his actions it could be discerned that this spirit of service was innate in him. He looked upon Mahatma Gandhi as his greatest master.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the Bar, as a Municipal Councillor, and as a foremost political leader he always remained the gentleman who overpowered everybody by his magnetic personality and sincerity of purpose. He was a master of rhetoric, and all his public utterances are models of lucidity and logic.<\/span><\/p>\n

As I said only last Tuesday in the Legislative Council he was “a symbol of national unity, of integrity and honesty of purpose, of loyalty and sincerity, of intelligence and wide-comprehension, of a life spent in the service of the nation.”<\/span><\/p>\n

But we must not forget the man of action. He always had his feet firmly on the ground. For him, as Auden, the British poet, has said in his great poem “Spain”:<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday all the past
\nTomorrow, perhaps, the future
\nBut today the struggle<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Renganaden Seeneevassen is gone now. We pay our humble tribute to him, but while lingering near his shrine in our mourning let us extend our deep sorrow and sympathy to the young widow with three children who nourished and preserved for the nation such a great soul.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Ce Que Fut L’Homme<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Par L’Hon. Guy Forget<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Le politique, l’avocat, le parlementaire et l’orateur aim\u00e9 des foules \u00e9tait g\u00e9n\u00e9ralement connu. Je suis invit\u00e9 \u00e0 vous parler de l’homme et \u00e0 \u00e9voquer quelques souvenirs personnels.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bien avant que j’eusse eu l’occasion de le rencontrer, sa r\u00e9putation l’avait pr\u00e9c\u00e9d\u00e9 et \u00e9tait parvenue jusqu’\u00e0 moi. Tant d’\u00e9loges m’avaient laiss\u00e9 sceptique. Et je concluais : r\u00e9putation surfaite, enthousiasme d’amis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mais le jour de la premi\u00e8re rencontre vint. Je fus surpris et ne crus pas \u00e0 la v\u00e9rit\u00e9 du personnage. Cette gentillesse, cette douceur de voix qu’accompagnait l’harmonie des gestes, cette \u00e9l\u00e9gance de tenue \u00e0 laquelle r\u00e9pondait une distinction qui d\u00e9concertait par sa simplicit\u00e9, ce respect de l’opinion \u00e9mise quoique ne la partageant pas, cette cordialit\u00e9 qui se tendait, ouverte, et qui insensiblement s’emparait de vous — tout cela, pensais-je, ne pouvait \u00eatre vrai, mais seulement le fait d’un esprit \u00e9tudi\u00e9 et rompu \u00e0 une excellente discipline. M\u00eame cela n’eut pas \u00e9t\u00e9 sans valeur, ni sans m\u00e9rite. Mais d’autres rencontres suivirent et l’homme se livra davantage, accentuant les traits qui devaient graduellement se confirmer et r\u00e9v\u00e9ler d\u00e9finitivement cette nature exceptionnelle qui \u00e9tait en fait celle de Seeneevassen.<\/span><\/p>\n

La gentillesse \u00e9tait vraie, l’\u00e9l\u00e9gance de tenue \u00e9tait naturelle, la voix conservait tout son charme, une tol\u00e9rance largement compr\u00e9hensive \u00e9tait une des qualit\u00e9s marquantes de son esprit, et l’homme se r\u00e9v\u00e9lait un charmeur \u00e0 qui on \u00e9tait heureux de se livrer \u00e0 son tour, non par contrainte mais par une douce attraction qui ne vous procurait que d\u00e9lices.<\/span><\/p>\n

Et cet homme, on l’a dit, \u00e9tait, \u00e0 tout moment, d’humeur \u00e9gale, et ne montrait jamais \u00e0 son interlocuteur (qui \u00e9tait rarement un non-solliciteur) qu’un visage souriant et accueillant. Privil\u00e8ge r\u00e9serv\u00e9 qu’\u00e0 quelques rares natures d’exception.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Et nous voil\u00e0 partis, \u00e0 quatre, sur le m\u00eame avion pour une mission dont l’importance place sur nos \u00e9paules une t\u00e2che des plus lourdes. Il s’agit de la premi\u00e8re d\u00e9l\u00e9gation (1955) \u00e0 Londres. Guy Rozemont est d\u00e9j\u00e0 souffrant et votre serviteur est sujet au mal de l’air.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mais il y a Renga \u00e0 bord. A-t-il manqu\u00e9 sa vocation et y avait-il chez lui des dons sp\u00e9ciaux et une compr\u00e9hension particuli\u00e8re pour ceux qui souffrent physiquement ? Toujours est-il qu’\u00e0 tel ou tel moment o\u00f9 “\u00e7a n’ira pas”, o\u00f9 l’escalier de descente, \u00e0 l’escale, appara\u00eetra soudain trop perpendiculaire, o\u00f9 le bras s’entortillera dans le manche du water proof, “quelqu’un” sera l\u00e0. Une voix, dont on go\u00fbte mieux \u00e0 ces moments la douceur, dira : “Laissez-moi vous aider, Forget”. Ou encore : “Comment vous sentez-vous ? Tout \u00e0 l’heure \u00e7a ira mieux !” Et la magie a op\u00e9r\u00e9. C’est Seeneevassen qui est \u00e0 vos c\u00f4t\u00e9s ou qui s’est pench\u00e9 sur vous, et… \u00a0l\u2019on se sent d\u00e9j\u00e0 “un peu mieux”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Et, plus tard, quand il jugera que “\u00e7a va d\u00e9finitivement mieux”, la voix douce devenue gouailleuse vous dira un bon mot, et, devant le rire ou le sourire qu’il aura provoqu\u00e9, il dira : “Ast\u00e8re-l\u00e0, ou fine bien m\u00eame !”<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Au sein de la d\u00e9l\u00e9gation, il sera la liaison entre tous, et, entre nous quatre, c’est lui qui r\u00e8glera la temp\u00e9rature au cours de nos discussions — fort heureusement, quelquefois.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nous n’avons jamais pris un taxi \u00e0 Londres si Seeneevassen ne s’effa\u00e7ait pour faire entrer ses coll\u00e8gues d’abord, et, tr\u00e8s souvent, avant qu’on e\u00fbt le temps de se grouiller, Seeneevassen \u00e0 l’arriv\u00e9e r\u00e9glait d\u00e9j\u00e0 la course. Et le “Thank you, Sir ! ” que lan\u00e7ait le chauffeur \u00e9tait tel que l’on sentait que ces trois petits mots traduisaient autant la g\u00e9n\u00e9rosit\u00e9 de notre ami que la gentillesse qui l’avait accompagn\u00e9e.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mais quand le jour pour recevoir “les lettres de Maurice” arrivait, nul n’aurait pu le retenir longtemps hors de l’h\u00f4tel apr\u00e8s l’heure o\u00f9, il le savait, les petits carr\u00e9s bleus, rang\u00e9s, l’attendaient au “Postal Delivery” de l’h\u00f4tel. Seeneevassen \u00e9tait avec nous, mais sa pens\u00e9e… \u00e9tait aussi \u00e0 Maurice, au foyer.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

En 1955 le Secr\u00e9taire d’Etat, \u00e0 l’issue d’une des conf\u00e9rences de la d\u00e9l\u00e9gation qu’il avait pr\u00e9sid\u00e9e, nous invita avec d’autres \u00e0 d\u00e9jeuner chez lui. Les convives sont assis \u00e0 de petites tables pour quatre couverts. Le hasard m’a install\u00e9 en face du Secr\u00e9taire d’Etat. A l’heure du caf\u00e9, les convives changent de si\u00e8ges et Monsieur Lennox Boyd aper\u00e7oit Seeneevassen qui passe, Il s’adresse \u00e0 lui \u2014 je pr\u00e9f\u00e8re traduire : \u2014 M. Seeneevassen venez donc vous asseoir un peu \u00e0 ma table et parlez-moi avec cette voix extraordinairement harmonieuse que vous poss\u00e9dez. O\u00f9 avez-vous appris \u00e0 parler ainsi et quelle universit\u00e9 avez-vous fr\u00e9quent\u00e9e ?”<\/span><\/p>\n

J’avoue que j’en \u00e9prouvai une certaine fiert\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Ramgoolam et moi, on se heurtait assez souvent. “Qui zotte gagn\u00e9 ?” disait la voix… Et nos asp\u00e9rit\u00e9s fondaient, au contact du soleil de chez nous, instantan\u00e9ment ramen\u00e9 par la voix magique.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ce que fut Seeneevassen pour la d\u00e9l\u00e9gation de 1957 fut exactement ce qu’il avait \u00e9t\u00e9 en 1955 \u2014 et ce qu’il resta jusqu’\u00e0 cette s\u00e9ance (m\u00e9morable pour ceux qui \u00e9taient l\u00e0) du Comit\u00e9 Municipal du mercredi apr\u00e8s-midi, 4 juin, quelques heures seulement avant le d\u00e9part d\u00e9finitif. Au cours de cette s\u00e9ance — la derni\u00e8re<\/em> — \u00e0 deux reprises, il nous exhorta avec sa voix de magie et de bont\u00e9, \u00e0 la g\u00e9n\u00e9rosit\u00e9 — aussi bien quand il fallait s\u00e9vir que lorsqu’il fallait r\u00e9compenser.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

… Merveilleux testament d’un homme chez qui le trait dominant \u00e9tait peut-\u00eatre cette g\u00e9n\u00e9rosit\u00e9 cong\u00e9nitale de tous les instants, \u00e0 l’\u00e9gard de quiconque, et qui, chez lui, engendrait ces autres attributs qui composaient le magnifique ensemble humain auquel le pays a rendu hommage splendidement, tel que le m\u00e9ritait ce fils distingu\u00e9, ce patriote au noble coeur.<\/span><\/p>\n

5th Year No 201
\n<\/strong>Friday 13th June, 1958<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 12 August 2022<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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