In brief
Mauritius experienced its worst riots in decades as a protest over water shortages turned violent when a woman was shot by police. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam imposed a curfew, called for calm and warned of ‘heavy consequences’ for agitators. The government managed to restore order by Wednesday, but water shortages will persist until the rainy season, raising the risk of renewed unrest.
In the early hours of Friday, police in Mauritius imposed an overnight curfew to quell the worst riots in decades following a protest that escalated after a woman was shot at a roadblock.
The unrest began in response to chronic water shortages and a high cost of living that have gripped the island as a tourism and financial services hub.
When the woman was shot, the officer involved was arrested and is now remanded in custody, though details of the incident remain unclear.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam warned that anyone acting against the interests of the country would face "heavy consequences," and called for calm.
The protests saw tyre fires, road blockades and vandalism of police stations and public facilities, leading to school closures, suspended transport and travel warnings for embassies.
Despite the curfew, police reported multiple incidents overnight and several arrests, but said by Wednesday morning traffic had resumed and residents could go back to normal.
Analysts say the government’s water provision in the early stages helped, but the ongoing shortages will persist until the rainy season, making a repeat of the unrest likely should tensions remain.
The cabinet is set to meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss next steps.
