Tragic Consequences of Protests in Madagascar: A Grandmother's Heartbreaking Loss

Fri Oct 10 2025 22:58:56 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In Madagascar, a one-month-old baby has died from inhaling tear gas amid protests against power and water shortages. This incident highlights the intense social unrest and government challenges in one of the world's poorest nations.

Following escalating protests in Madagascar over severe water and power shortages, Razanasoa Edmondine, a grieving grandmother, shares the tragic story of her one-month-old grandson who succumbed to tear gas inhalation during a police crackdown on demonstrators. The protests have led to violence and unrest, revealing a deep-rooted frustration among citizens as they grapple with poverty and governmental negligence.

Razanasoa Edmondine still looks shell-shocked as she recalls the death of her one-month-old grandson, killed by police tear gas in protests that have rocked Madagascar over the last two weeks.

It was just a normal Friday. My daughter-in-law was going to the market with the baby when they encountered demonstrators on the road, she tells the BBC at the family's home on the northern outskirts of the capital, Antananarivo.

Not long after, police showed up and started dispersing the protest with tear gas.

It was the second day of youth-led protests, triggered by anger over persistent power and water shortages, and Ms Edmondine's daughter-in-law ran into a nearby building with other protesters to take cover.

Police then fired more tear gas canisters into the building, quickly filling it with choking smoke.

With the streets in chaos, they could not get to a hospital until the following day. By then, the damage had been done.

The baby was trying to cry but no sound came out, says Ms Edmondine softly.

It was like something was blocking his chest. The doctor told us he had inhaled too much smoke. A couple of days later, he passed away.

Her grandchild is one of at least 22 people the UN says were killed during clashes between police and demonstrators in the early days of the protests, which have since escalated into broader dissatisfaction over corruption, high unemployment, and the cost-of-living crisis in one of the world's poorest nations.

The government of President Andry Rajoelina has dismissed this figure as misinformation but has not provided its own numbers.

However, it has emphasized that the value of property damage exceeds $47m (£35m). The first days of the protests were marked by widespread violence, with cars set on fire, shop windows smashed, and a two-month-old, multi-million-dollar cable car station vandalized.

The protests have also affected local businesses, with many suffering from reduced commercial activity as a result of the unrest.

President Rajoelina has asked the Malagasy people to give him one year to rectify the issues fueling the protests, promising to resign if he fails to meet this deadline. Yet, skepticism remains high among the population, which continues to express their anger and demands for change amidst ongoing challenges.