The Honourable
Cassam Uteem, GCSK
Uteem in 2011
2nd President of Mauritius
In office
30 June 1992 – 15 February 2002
Prime MinisterSir Anerood Jugnauth
Vice PresidentSir Rabindranath Ghurburrun
Angidi Chettiar
Preceded bySir Veerasamy Ringadoo
Succeeded byAngidi Chettiar (acting)
Personal details
Born (1941-03-22) 22 March 1941
Port Louis, British Mauritius
SpouseZohra Uteem
ChildrenThree

Cassam Uteem, GCSK (born 22 March 1941, Port Louis)[1] is a Mauritian political figure who served as the second president of Mauritius from 30 June 1992 to 15 February 2002. He is the longest served president of Mauritius, having served for nearly ten years.[2]

Early life and education

Cassam Uteem attended the secondary school Royal College Port Louis.[3] Then he travelled to France and studied at Paris VII University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Art and a master's degree in Psychology. He also holds a Certificate in Social Work from the University of Mauritius and a "Diplôme d’État Français d’Assistant des services sociaux".[4]

Ancestry and family life

In the 1800s Cassam Uteem's ancestors migrated from the historic city of Azamgarh's Village Dubawan, Uttar Pradesh in India.[5]

He is married to Zohra Uteem and they have three children: Reza Uteem, Dilshaad Uteem and Oomar Uteem.[6]

Political career

In the 1960s, Cassam Uteem was a youth leader and social worker who was actively involved in the local community during colonial times that preceded the 1968 Independence of Mauritius. He became a leading member of leftist political party the Militant Movement of Mauritius (MMM). In 1969 he was elected Councillor of the City of Port Louis at the Municipal Elections, a position in which he remained for several years before becoming city's Lord Mayor in 1986.[7]

Cassam Uteem was elected a member of the Mauritian Legislative Assembly in 1976. He was re-elected as a member of Parliament in 1982, 1983, 1987 and 1991. In 1982 and 1983, he held the portfolio of Minister of Employment, Social Security and National Solidarity. In 1990, he became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Industrial Technology. When he formed part of the Opposition in Parliament he was “Opposition Whip” and Chairman of the “Public Accounts Committee.”[8]

Following the establishment of a republic on 12 March 1992, the last Governor-General, Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo, became the first President.[9] However, this was under an interim arrangement, and Cassam Uteem was nominated to serve as President for a five-year term with effect from 30 June of that year.

On 15 February 2002, he resigned from office, after refusing to sign a controversial anti-terrorism bill, namely PoTA,[10] into the constitution. His term would have ended in June 2002.[11] He was replaced as president by Angidi Chettiar.[12]

On 10 November 2014, Mr. Uteem was appointed United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy and Head of the United Nations Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi[13]

In November 2014, Uteem was elected President of International Movement ATD Fourth World.[14]

Uteem was a candidate for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission in early 2008, but withdrew prior to the vote.[15]

Cassam Uteem is a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation, an organization which works to support democratic leadership, prevent and resolve conflict through mediation and promote good governance in the form of democratic institutions, open markets, human rights and the rule of law. It does so by making available, discreetly and in confidence, the experience of former leaders to today's national leaders. It is a not-for-profit organization composed of former heads of government, senior governmental and international organization officials who work closely with Heads of Government on governance-related issues of concern to them.

Uteem appeared in the John Pilger documentary Stealing a Nation, which is about the Chagos Archipelago sovereignty dispute.

Awards and decorations

References

  1. ↑ "Cassam Uteem". Archived from the original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  2. ↑ "Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius". Global Commission on Drugs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  3. ↑ Jaddoo, Jameela. "Anniversary of RCPL: 90 years". Defimedia.info. Le Defimedia. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  4. ↑ "Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius". Global Commission on Drugs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  5. ↑ Uteem, Cassam. "Tribute to a renowned statesman". lemauricien.com. Le Mauricien. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  6. ↑ "Ma vie sans Oomar". 5plus.mu. 5Plus Dimanche. Retrieved 10 December 2007.
  7. ↑ "Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius". Global Commission on Drugs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  8. ↑ "Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius". Global Commission on Drugs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  9. ↑ Mauritius casts monarchy adrift, The Times, 12 March 1992
  10. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ↑ BBC News (15 February 2002). "Mauritius president resigns". BBC News. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  12. ↑ BBC News (19 February 2002). "Terror law 'signed' in Mauritius". BBC News. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  13. ↑ "Secretary-General Appoints Cassam Uteem of Mauritius as Special Envoy". United Nations.
  14. ↑ "Mr. Cassam Uteem Named President of ATD Fourth World International". ATD Fourth World. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  15. ↑ Abera W. Kidan, "Africa: Two Candidates Withdraw Bids for AU Top Post", The Daily Monitor, Addis Ababa (allAfrica.com), 31 January 2008.
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