In brief
A riot that began as a peaceful protest over water shortages turned deadly when police fired on a woman at a roadblock, sparking the most violent unrest Mauritius has seen in twenty years. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam declared a curfew across the island while police arrested the officer involved. Rioters burned tyres and vandalised public property, causing schools, transport and foreign embassies to halt services. Despite the curfew, several incidents and arrests were reported overnight, but traffic resumed the next morning. The government is meeting on Wednesday to decide further measures as water shortages are expected to continue until the December rains.
Police in Mauritius imposed an overnight curfew to quell the worst riots in decades.
Peaceful protests over water shortages and the high cost of living that began 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 yet clear, but the officer has been arrested and remanded in custody.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam issued the curfew on Tuesday, warning those “acting against the interests of the country”. He said, “Those who have carried out these actions will face heavy consequences for their anti‑patriotic acts.”
Protesters set tyres ablaze, blocked traffic and vandalised police stations and other public infrastructure. Schools and public transport were shut down, and foreign embassies urged nationals to stay cautious.
Despite the curfew, police reported several incidents overnight and a number of arrests. By Wednesday morning, traffic had resumed and authorities encouraged citizens to return to normal activity.
An analyst from South Africa‑based Signal Risk, Zoë McCathie, said the government’s quick response – providing extra water and closing schools – was the right move in an “unusual” security situation. She noted that this scale of protest had not been seen since around 1999, and that curfew was a logical response.
The cabinet will meet Wednesday afternoon to reassess the situation. Water shortages are expected to persist until the December rains, meaning protests could return in some areas.
Source: BBC News Africa – 1 hour ago
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