SEYCHELLES ISLANDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B00443R001604270064-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 2010
• Sequence Number: 64
• Publication Date: January 4, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/09: CIA-RDP88B00443R001604270064-5
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/09: CIA-RDP88B00443R001604270064-5
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/09: CIA-RDP88B00443R001604270064-5
? . L?II'H ??
THE ISLAND PARADISE THAT'S
BECOMING A COMMUNIST STRONGHOLD
The degenerating political situation in India gives new
weight to concern among Western strategists over devel-
opments on the small Seychelles island group, 1,000 mi.
off the African coast in the Indian Ocean. The islands lie on
the supertanker route between the Cape of Good Hope and the
Persian Gulf, and they can electronically keep an eye on the
important U. S. naval base 600 mi. away on the tiny island of
Diego Garcia.
The Diego Garcia base, which Washington keeps under tight
security, is a crucial jump-off point for U. S. naval and air
power protecting the Persian Gulf oil-supply routes and U. S.
ships in the Indian Ocean. U. S. submarines moving through
that ocean are equipped with new Trident I missiles that could
strike at the Soviet industrial heartland in the Urals.
FAMOUS MERCENARY. Now Soviet surrogates-East Germans,
Cubans, North Koreans, and Libyans-have moved in to back
up the regime of Seychelles strongman Albert F. Rene and a
group of hardline communist sympathizers who took over the
islands in 1977. The East Germans have put up three radar
units that monitor Diego Garcia. The North Koreans bolster a
contingent of Tanzanian soldiers, Rene's bodyguard, who
helped put him in power. In 1981 these foreign troops helped
Rene foil an attempt to overthrow him that was sponsored by
South Africa and led by the famous mercenary, Colonel Mi-
chael "Mad Mike" Hoare. The Cubans are supplying other
support services. And the Libyans, recently thrown out of a
neighboring Indian Ocean ministate, Mauritius, are handling
weapons deliveries for the Soviet bloc.
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SEYCHELLES
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INDIAN OCEAN
Russian ships, working out of the port of Aden in th
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, are already using th
islands for refueling as part of their elaborate maneuvers t
maintain a permanent Soviet presence in the Indian Ocean. 0
the Western powers, only the French maintain a permanent-
though small-naval force in the Indian Ocean. The U.
battle group in the Indian Ocean is there on a part-time basis
The Soviets have a disproportionately large Seychelles en
bassy that has given Rene aid, including an in-progress surve'
of the islands' continental shelf that could be the first step i
planning a Russian naval base. That could be extremely impos
taut to Moscow, since the Soviets are losing their base in th
Mozambique port of Maputo. Mozambique is turning awa
from Moscow toward South Africa for help in ending its ow
civil war.
The events in the Seychelles are a microcosm of a problen
dogging U. S. strategy worldwide. In the era immediately foi
lowing World War II, there was a consensus in Wester
circles that tiny remnants of empire like the Seychelles ha
been rendered useless by the growth of air power and moderi
communications. But as the Soviets have made themselves
global naval power, these far corners of the earth have N
come exactly what they were in the 19th century: focal point
for the expansion of empire.
Moscow infiltrates and organizes small and easily intimidat
ed populations-often through its satellites-in an effort t
establish political and then military hegemony at strategi
world crossroads. Maurice Bishop's Grenada, at the Atlanti
gateway to the Caribbean, was a classic example.
STAND BACK AND WATCH. The U. S. and its Western allies--
which long ago gave up old-style political imperialism, eithe
stand back and watch-powerless to halt expanding Sovie
power and influence-or call the fire brigades, as they did i
Grenada when the strategic threat to U. S. and Western' intei
ests grew too strong. There are at least a half-dozen potenti:
Grenadas around the world: Suriname (formerly Dutch Gui:
na) on the northeastern coast of South America; Guinea-Bissa
(formerly a Portuguese colony) on the West African coast, an,
Fernando Po, an island nearby; and islands in the South Pacii
ic, such as New Caledonia.
The Seychelles are typical of the problem. It has only 63,00
people, most of whom live on the main island of Mahe. More o
the multiracial, French-patois-speaking Seychellois live outsid
the country in Australia and London. But the island group i
undergoing the familiar chain of events. It is a country undo
communist rule suffering declining living standards and polit
cal oppression and supporting a growing military establisl
ment. Some 4,000 Seychellois have emigrated since Rene too
over. Tourism was once the mainstay of the islands' econom
because of its beautiful beaches and a year-round temperatur
of 86?. But the political situation has frightened off Sout
African tourists-only 21/2 hours away by air-and cruis
ships no longer halt in the Seychelles.
Rene is opposed mainly by a stalwart anticommunist Catht
lie bishop, Felix Paul, who runs an independent weekly new,
paper. An anticommunist resistance movement dedicated t
overthrowing Rene is headquartered in London. But it will b
hard put to succeed before Moscow brings the isolated island
under rigid communist control.
`~~ Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/09: CIA-RDP88B00443R001604270064-5