Special Report Transcript Episode 74, Section 5, Time 40:56

The Seychelles, a tourist heaven. For years holiday makers have flocked to these islands strung out like jewels in the Indian Ocean. But in 1977 trouble came to paradise. Seychellois President Sir James Mancham was ousted in a coup led by Albert René. Mancham had been a friend of apartheid South Africa. René, a socialist, was not. He was soon to discover how unfriendly his South African neighbours could be. Not only were the islands strategically important to the navies that patrolled the Indian Ocean they were also a refuelling stop for South African Airways on their long haul flights to Asia. Pretoria was upset when René imposed sanctions by cancelling SAA’s landing rights at the airport on Mahé island, capital of the Seychelles. Seychellois refugees from the Mancham regime fled to Durban and when they asked for assistance in getting back to power South Africa was willing to talk. Enter Martin Dolinschek, then a senior operative of the National Intelligence Service.

Notes: Seychelles; Mancham, political rally; René inaugurated; PW Botha

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