The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has expressed concern over the violence in Madagascar where protests over chronic power and water shortages have turned deadly and caused extensive damage in the capital Antananarivo and other cities.
In a statement on Saturday, SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi condemned the unrest that began on 25 September and reaffirmed its solidarity with the Malagasy government and people.
“We note that the demonstrations have regrettably resulted in an unconfirmed number
of fatalities, injuries, and extensive damage to both public and private property, leading
to the imposition of a night-time curfew in the capital,” Magosi said.
“The loss of life, harm to individuals and destruction of property are very unfortunate
and run counter to the principles of peace, unity and sustainable development that lie
at the heart of the SADC vision.”
He urged all parties to exercise restraint and pursue peaceful dialogue.
The protests, driven by mounting frustration over daily power outages lasting more than 12 hours and widespread water shortages, have rocked Antananarivo and spread to cities including Antsirabe, Antsiranana, Majunga, and Toliara.
Demonstrators – many of them young – clashed with police who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas.
President Andry Rajoelina, in his first public remarks, described the unrest as “acts of destabilisation in the form of a coup d’état.”
On Friday, he dismissed his energy minister in an apparent attempt to ease tensions.
Authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew after scenes of looting and arson left banks, shops and homes in ruins.
JN/APA