REUNION, FRANCE, September 29, 2005: The Tamil Sangam on Reunion island (an Overseas Departement of France, located off the coast of Africa) requests that Tamil New Year and Deepavali be made public holidays. The regional association, Tamil Sangam, wants Tamil New Year’s day and Deepavali to be included in the calendar of the public holidays, according to its president, Selvam Chanemougame. This request, also made in the past, is being raised again to coincide with the visit of Nicolas Sarkozy, Frances’s Minister for Home Affairs, to the island this week. The Association has asked the minister to set up a think-tank under the aegis of the Prefect, with the participation of the multi-religious dialogue group, in order to propose a calendar of festivals “more faithful to the cultural practices of the island.” Selvam Chanemougame specifies that this claim is not communal. According to him, it is, “a work of integration, in order to avoid any marginalization.” The members of the association are confident that Nicolas Sarkozy will look at this request with more attention than has been given in the past.
“One tends to forget that in Reunion Island, Hinduism is the second biggest religion by number of practitioners. This religion almost disappeared in Reunion Island territory due to the policy of evangelization and of conversion which prevailed when we were still indentured labourers,” Selvam Chanemougame stresses. Currently, he adds, there are no programs on or about Hinduism on national television, contrary to other religions. “Rather than address our concerns the persons in charge at RFO TV network simply refer us to the agreements entered into between the Ministry for Home Affairs and the Management of Antenna 2” — a situation which he considers unfair “and frustrating.”