The authorities of Mauritius have decided to extend the curfew declared this week throughout the weekend with the aim of curbing the worst wave of riots recorded in the country in the last 25 years. This has been confirmed by the Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, after incidents were repeated in the last dawn, which have resulted in the arrest of another 16 people.
The mobilization began as a protest against the rising cost of living, but over the days it has transformed into direct clashes with the security forces, who are accused of having shot on Friday night at a 27-year-old woman.
According to the new statement issued by the Government, the curfew this Friday will start at 10:00 PM and will remain in effect until 4:30 AM on Monday. Since the beginning of the protests, eight police stations have been attacked and 31 police vehicles have suffered damage, according to the police report presented this Friday to the Council of Ministers and cited by the portal Defi Media.
In total, 151 people have been arrested since the riots began, including 16 minors.
Ramgoolam had already announced on Monday the imposition of the curfew in 15 regions of the country, including the capital, Port Louis, a measure that was later extended to two other areas to try to contain the protests, as he justified again this Friday.
"I am aware that all Mauritians have plans for the weekend. I understand and share your disappointment, but we cannot take any risks with people's lives," he emphasized in a speech this Friday, in which he also assured that the country is "successfully overcoming this crisis" and "emerging from dark times."
The head of the Government has attributed the riots to "a group of people who are inciting hatred and violence" and whose only objective is "to foster tension in the country, disturb public order and peace."
The shooting that triggered the outrage is under investigation. The officer who fired the shot that injured the young woman, Elodie Thomas, has been arrested and faces formal charges. "We all have in mind the images of unacceptable violence: burning police stations, looted places, attacked police vehicles," Ramgoolam declared on Tuesday. "All of this is unacceptable."