An atmosphere of tension and defiance had engulfed the capital on Friday, June 30, as the Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation (MTTF) organised a peaceful march to voice dissent against the government’s decision to reclaim a land parcel granted to the Mauritius Tamil Cultural Centre Trust (MTCCT). But the demonstration has now become the subject of a police investigation into alleged violations of the approved conditions.
According to Defi Media, protesters allegedly ignored warnings from police officers, and deviated from the pre-approved path to converge towards the Prime Minister’s Office.
The newspaper reported that an Assistant Superintendent of Police has filed a complaint, claiming that the organiser and a participant went to the Prime Minister’s Office to submit a letter. However, despite the warnings from the police officers present there, several protesters followed the two men. The access to that part of the city was not included in the approved route by the Commissioner of Police’s office, Defi Media reported.
The police have announced that footage from Safe City cameras have been retrieved and they intend to make several arrests at the beginning of the week.
The march was part of an ongoing protest against the swapping of land in the area. The ‘Rann nou later’ (return our land) movement, comprising various socio-cultural associations, last week held a demonstration outside Parliament, and the MTTF.
The protesters are opposing the government’s decision to reclaim land allocated to socio-cultural centres in Réduit for business purposes (to be allegedly allocated a crony of the MSM ruling party).
The issue has been ongoing for two months, with the government demanding the return of the land. The protesters remain steadfast in their demands.
Source: Defi Media
