In brief
After protests over water shortages and rising costs spiraled into violence, police shot a woman at a roadblock, leading to an overnight curfew. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam condemned the unrest, warning that anti‑patriotic acts would face severe repercussions. While schools and public transport were shut, police reported several ongoing incidents even under curfew. Analysts say the island’s resort economy and financial services hub add urgency to stabilising the situation. A cabinet meeting is set for Wednesday to decide on further measures.
Police in Mauritius imposed an overnight curfew to quell the worst riots on the Indian Ocean island in decades.
Peaceful protests over water shortages and the high cost of living that started a week ago erupted into violence on Friday when a woman was shot and wounded by police at a roadblock. The circumstances of the shooting are not clear, but the officer has since been arrested and remanded in custody.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam ordered the curfew on Tuesday, warning against those "acting against the interests of the country". "Those who have carried out these actions will have to face the very heavy consequences warranted by their anti‑patriotic acts," he said in an address to the nation.
Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads as the unrest escalated over the weekend, with police stations and other public infrastructure properties being vandalised. The mayhem prompted the closure of schools and public transport, with foreign embassies issuing alerts warning its nationals to be cautious.
Despite the curfew, police said there had been several incidents overnight and some arrests. By Wednesday morning, traffic was reported to be moving again and police urged people to resume normal activities.
When protests over the shortage of water initially started, the government had responded proactively by providing more water to households, according to Zoë McCathie, an analyst at South Africa‑based Signal Risk. The escalation presented an "unusual situation for the country's security situation", with the government resorting to closing schools and imposing a curfew, she told the BBC's Newsday programme.
She noted that protests of this scale had not been seen since about 1999, and that the government's response is logical and necessary. While the unrest has been largely curbed, there remains a possibility that protests could return in some areas, with water shortages expected to persist until the rainy season in December.
The cabinet is due to meet on Wednesday afternoon to reassess the situation and decide on next steps.
