Philip Li Ching Hum
19 November 2007
column
Port Louis — Many a time, in the dead silence of the night, sitting alone in our cosy lounge, we have pondered over what has happened to Mauritius.
What has led to such speedy deterioration in our social fabric? We were once a god-fearing, peace-loving and harmonious society. How did we reach the present-day state of lawlessness, anarchy and insecurity? In spite of the material progress, we have reverted to the Dark Ages with the atrocious crimes committed. Shall we sit with folded arms to watch the dysfunctioning of the entire system. What social legacy shall we bequeath to the coming generation?
One thing is for sure: the growing sense of despondency and disillusionment among the population. People have lost faith in the future and it is no surprise that nearly all our students abroad do not want to return home looking for greener pastures elsewhere.
The mob's rule has become a common occurrence. The least incident, whether it be a road accident, inadequate water supply or sewerage system blocked, can flare up into a mob's violence. There is a pervading sense of frustration. The rich are becoming richer while the poor are impoverished with skyrocketing prices. The inhabitants vent out their anger; they block the highway with huge stones, they burn used tyres. They unleash torrents of anger. The mob goes on rampage. It can be fanned into a riot.
Worst still, every incident is underpinned with communal hatred. The mob turns into a Frankenstein monster. It becomes uncontrollable and demagogues can whip it up for their personal ends. "Take thou what course thou wilt", wrote Shakespeare. The public display of anger is an indication of how sick our society is. Earlier religion and moral values had a grip on people to contain these animal instincts. But nowadays even religious men have turned into lawbreakers. "If gold rusts, what will iron do?" wrote Chaucer.
People have lost faith in the judicial system is finding it lethargic and time-consuming. Coupled with it, the police are too indolent to act in some cases because of political interference. In such circumstances, vigilantism creeps in because of man's basic instinct of revenge. But vigilantism is a threat to democracy. Hell's gate will be let loose if we start lynching others. We cannot take the law into our hands.
The police need to revise their outdated system to meet the challenges of modern society.
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