ANTANANARIVO – The government of Madagascar on Thursday imposed a nighttime curfew after protests over chronic water and power cuts escalated into violence, with police using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse demonstrators.
According to the Associated Press, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Madagascar to express their anger over persistent power outages that often leave homes and businesses without electricity for more than 12 hours a day. Demonstrators blocked roads with burning tyres and stones.
By midday on Thursday, the protests had turned violent, with reports of looting at several retail stores, electronics shops, and banks across the capital. Several stations for the country’s new cable car system were also set on fire. Local media reported on Thursday that three homes belonging to politicians known to be close to Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina were also attacked by protesters.
Police Commander Angelo Ravelonarivo announced that a strict nighttime curfew would be imposed from 7 p.m. on Thursday until 5 a.m. on Friday, and would continue until calm is restored, in order to “better protect the population”.
“Unfortunately, there are individuals who are exploiting the situation to destroy the property of others,” the security commander said in a televised address, according to Reuters.
Protesters had earlier marched in defiance of a police ban on the demonstration, chanting “We need water, we need electricity.” They carried signs with slogans such as “Water and electricity are basic human needs,” “Let’s raise our voices,” and “People of Madagascar, wake up!”
Some carried black flags featuring the skull logo from the manga series “One Piece,” a symbol used in recent anti-regime protests in Nepal, but modified with a traditional Malagasy hat. After the initial protest was dispersed, the unrest spread to different neighbourhoods of the capital.
On Wednesday, the National Police Chief, Jean Herbert Andrianantenaina Rakotomalala, had warned that security forces would “take strict preventive measures… against those who try to break the law.”
It was not immediately clear how many people were injured during the protests or if there were any fatalities.
Madagascar Protests Started on Facebook
The protest movement, which is dominated mostly by young people, began gaining momentum on social media platforms, particularly Facebook, a few days ago. Disturbances were also reported in the country’s provinces at the offices of the national water and electricity company, which protesters see as a primary cause of the country’s problems.
Madagascar, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, is beset by poverty, with some blaming the government of President Andry Rajoelina, who was re-elected in 2023, for failing to improve conditions.
