Mauritius Extends Curfew Following Rare Unrest

Mauritius Extends Curfew Following Rare Unrest MAURITIUS Mauritius The Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius extended a curfew Wednesday to contain violent unrest after protests against water shortages and the rising cost of living erupted over a police shooting of a civilian. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam announced the curfew in a Tuesday televised address and said protesters were “acting against the interests of the country,” referring to its tourism industry and financial services hub, main pillars of the economy. The government later said it would extend the curfew to Friday morning, adding that classes in all nurseries, primary and secondary school facilities were suspended. Among the 15 areas targeted by the curfew were the capital Port Louis, as well as Bambous, La Gaulette and Goodlands. Protests broke out last week and were ongoing when a police officer allegedly shot Élodie Thomas, a 27-year-old woman, in the neck without warning while she was commuting home from work in a residential area south of Port Louis. Local media reported that a police officer was arrested in connection with the shooting, although authorities have not released details surrounding the incident. Police said they are investigating. Thomas remains in the hospital in critical condition. After the shooting, demonstrators took to the streets, burning tires, blocking roads and attacking police stations. The protests, the largest in 30 years, have seen nearly 100 people arrested, according to police. The government has condemned the violence, saying “those who have carried out these actions will have to face the very heavy consequences warranted by their anti-patriotic acts." Mauritius, a popular tourist destination and offshore banking center, has generally been regarded as one of the most stable countries in the region since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1968.