Mauritius reels from worst riots in decades after woman shot by police
Mauritius has imposed an overnight curfew following the worst civil unrest in decades, sparked by water shortages and the high cost of living. The situation escalated after police shot a woman at a roadblock, leading to widespread protests and vandalism.
Why it matters
The instability threatens the reputation of Mauritius as a stable tourism and financial hub in the Indian Ocean.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Mauritius is a well known as a tourism and financial services hub
Police in Mauritius imposed an overnight curfew overnight to quell the worst riots to break out on the Indian Ocean island in decades.
Peaceful protests over water shortages and the high cost of living that started 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 clear, but the officer has since been arrested and remanded in custody.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam ordered the curfew on Tuesday, warning against those "acting against the interests of the country", which is a tourism and financial services hub.
"Those who have carried out these actions will have to face the very heavy consequences warranted by their anti-patriotic acts," he said in an address to the nation.
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