Racial Problem in Mauritius

MT 60 Yrs — 2nd Year No 49 — Friday 15th July 1955

Some time ago America outlawed for good racial discrimination in all American schools and colleges. France soon followed suit, although along different lines, namely by banning all texts or illustrations likely to cause prejudice to the coloured people.

UNO since long has condemned all forms of ‘apartheid’ or racial segregation in South Africa, a real inferno for all coloured races!

The basic argument in favour of racial discrimination is a most silly and pernicious one: to wit, that the white races or the Aryan races are superior to the coloured or black races of the world!

As yet no one has proved conclusively in which sense this superiority has ever been exhibited. Gandhi, Dr Ralph Bunche, and in the early 90s Dr Booker Washington Carver, are clear-cut examples which show what coloured people can achieve in any sphere provided they face no human or diabolical barriers as the coloured peoples of South Africa are facing today in Strydom’s hell!

And yet in Mauritius the myth of the master race is still prevalent. How can we debunk all the sons of Jupiter and make them think along rational and scientific lines?

First, there’s the question of blood. You probably know that the blood of the Mau Mau or of the pygmies are in no way inferior or different to the European’s. Science has proved that conclusively since a very long time.

In so far as the offensive smell of the Negroes is concerned, let us add that cultured and well-educated Negroes have no repulsive smell: simply because they live in decent quarters provided with bathing rooms and all social amenities. It is a well known fact that in certain slums of Europe many Europeans of the poorer classes, living in derelict huts or buildings, with no bathing rooms, have equally the peculiar offensive smell of poor Negroes who never get the chance of taking regular baths in their living quarters.

Is it true that the fusion of white and black races can bring about unpleasant results? According to Prof Freyre the whole theory is a farce. One conclusive example in favour of fusion is that of Brazil, where complete fusion between the different communities have made of the Brazilians a happy, lovely and energetic race.

Similarly in the island of Pitcairn, the ‘fusion des races’ has brought about most felicitous results.

“Most great cultures,” says Jacques Soustinelle, have been built on a highly multicoloured foundation.” In Latin America this statement is 100 per cent true. It is equally true for Portugal, Spain, Palestine or Greece.

And how are we so stupid with our official or semi-official racial barriers?

How is it that although all colleges, our sports clubs are supposed to be essentially democratic and civilized, yet they all in a direct or indirect way tolerate racial discrimination?

The works of UNESCO have shown that the theory of a master race is both unfounded and trivial. There is simply no Aryan race, as Hitler meant it!

All races have a common origin, and long, long ago, when the moon was young all people on earth apparently talked a common tongue. So say the Christians. True or not, this theory is a most romantic and pleasing one: it reminds us that all peoples, irrespective of caste, creed or colour, come from a common source. And this is pleasing to the ears.

Modern scientists to-day are all fully convinced that the fusion among all races cannot in any way impair the vitality of the newly-formed race. Doctors A. Thooris and Verdun — two great scholars on the matter and we know that French authorities on such vital issues are not biased – have long exploded the myths of cross-breeding ; if you interested in the issue, I strongly urge you to read at length the work: ‘Le Problème Racial’ by R. P. Dr Verdun – Edition du Mirior.

Lincoln himself fought with might and main the exploitation of the American Negroes who were denied certain elementary human birthrights, because they were black! In 1865 he carried the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of his country and so he abolished slavery.

Walt Withman, the great poet and philosopher, a monument in American Letters, was all in favour of a greater and closer communion among all the races of the world at large.

Dumas, Mistral, Romain Rolland, Schweitzer – and in South Africa, Alan Paton himself and many others have long tried to remind the white races that, all things being equal – given the same opportunities in life – there exists no difference whatever between the black, yellow, brown or white races of the world.

Baudelaire was apparently very fond of coloured girls. Napoleon too. Mark-Anthony scorned an Empire for Cleopatra…

And above all, Jesus himself, to give a lesson to our crazy world, did not hesitate to come and live amongst a nation which was essentially coloured or mixed, for the Jewish race is nothing but the sum total of very many races which in a great measure are probably responsible of the greatness of men like Einstein, Disraeli, Weizmann, Mendes-France?

Incidentally, to make honey, is it not necessary to distil together the juice of very many flowers!… In much the same way, a great race is the sum total of many races blended together. The Roman race stands unparalleled in the history of the world, apparently because it comprised the very best of all surrounding races.

Poor Hitler, poor Smuts! Poor Malan of Mallefille Street!… It is so hard to move with a fast-moving world!

(Mauritius Times – 15th July 1955)

• Published in print edition on 25 September 2015