The petition and aggressive campaign of “My Body My Choice My Voice” was born out of Julie Vranckx-Lepert’s frustration against the Regulation under the Quarantine Act 2020 stating that students, parents and personnel of the Health and Education sectors must be vaccinated to access these premises. Three weeks later, this petition has been signed by 5754, and the campaign has 6874 followers and over 243 379 supporters. There are 105 581 Mauritians in constant interaction over this topic and the slogan has been displayed on 120 billboards across the island. This is now a Citizen’s Collective with the intent of generating awareness and respect of the people’s constitutional rights.
A Total Contradiction
“I am aware that we are amid a crisis. I have nothing against the vaccines and the PCR tests. However, I do not agree with the compulsion of vaccines where students and parents might be barred from entering the school’s premises or employees who might lose their jobs should they not be vaccinated. Besides, what is this PCR test which is being evaluated on a CT Value on 40 instead of 24- 34 as practiced in other countries in the world? ” claims Julie Vranckx- Lepert. A French expatriate for three years and a nursery director for kids from 3 months to 3 years, the latter declares that “the Quarantine Act is in itself a total contradiction to the Data Protection Act, Workers Rights Act Equal Opportunities Act, the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Mauritius which protect all Mauritian Citizens in their physical security, their beliefs, their right to education, without discrimination. Making an amendment that claims the opposite is unconstitutional and a blatant abuse of human rights!”
On 5 June 2021, her aggressive social media informative campaign was created on Facebook where all interventions, press conferences and court’s judgement reports are being recorded. She has also set up a website for the petition and another Facebook page where grievances, experiences, secondary effects of vaccination and views on imposed vaccines that are not recognized yet by the WHO can be posted. “As for my Nursery, I do not understand this mandatory Covid-19 vaccine on infants and children who are neither vectors nor transmitters of the virus. Even if we are going through a pandemic, any form of imposition is against human rights! Are we in an autocracy?” she shoots.
The Collective against Imposition!
“My Body My Choice My Voice” is now a Citizens’ Collective. “In a short span of time, the activist Bruneau Laurette has joined us then followed by a panel of professionals from the medical and legal fields, concerned parents and NGO’s. We now have about 200,000 distant and online supporters, regrouping those on social media platforms, Whatsapp, emails and SMS” she reveals.
The supporters are coming forward with a series of proofs and articles to encourage Mauritian citizens to come out of their silence or ignorance against these impositions and violations of their constitutional rights. Furthermore, since “My Body My Choice My Voice” counts various members from different sectors of the society, they will crop up other pertinent and persistent ills imposed on the society, economy, justice, and human rights. “Without revealing the names of our members, we intend to shed more light on the Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Park in Rose Belle Business Park by Landscope Mauritius Ltd. This is a project announced in the budget at Rs 500 million for the infrastructures. It will produce pharmaceutical products from Indian manufacturers and thus with no mention, as we came to know last Tuesday, a Covid Vaccine manufacturing plant” concludes Julie Vranckx- Lepert.
