Youth-Led Protests Rock Madagascar, Prompting Capital-Wide Curfew
Authorities in Madagascar have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the capital, Antananarivo, following violent protests triggered by worsening water shortages and frequent electricity blackouts.
The unrest began on Thursday when hundreds of protesters, mostly youths mobilised through social media, took to the streets to decry the country’s persistent power outages, which often last more than 12 hours. Demonstrators blocked roads with rocks and burning tyres, and clashes with police escalated as security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowds.
The protests quickly turned violent, with reports of looting at appliance stores, banks, and other retailers across the capital, home to about 1.4 million people. Several stations of the city’s newly launched cable car system were torched, and homes belonging to three politicians close to President Andry Rajoelina were attacked.
“Water and electricity are basic human needs.” “Let us speak out.” “Malagasy people, wake up,” read several protest placards, capturing the growing frustration in one of the world’s poorest nations.
Authorities had banned the demonstrations a day earlier, citing concerns over public disorder. Police patrolled the streets in large numbers from early Thursday to contain the unrest.
“There are, unfortunately, individuals taking advantage of the situation to destroy other people’s property,” said General Angelo Ravelonarivo, head of a joint security task force, in a televised statement.
To protect “the population and their belongings,” a nightly curfew from 7pm to 5am was imposed “until public order is restored,” the statement said.
Unrest was also reported in provincial towns, particularly around offices of the national water and electricity company, which many protesters blame for the crisis. No official information has yet been released on injuries or fatalities.
