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by Kazi Mahmood SINGAPORE (Islam Online) - The tiny island Republic of Mauritius is to hold general elections on September11th. These elections could be the most crucial for the minority Muslim community disillusioned with the traditional parties on the electoral roll. Mauritius is situated in the south east of the Indian Ocean, a four-hour flight from South Africa. In the early 14th century, the Arabs knew the island as Dinar Rubi (Dinar Robin in English). Arab navigators cruising in the Indian Ocean in search of wood and water visited the island but abandoned it due to its violent weather during the hot season. Conquered in succession by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and English, the island gained independence from England in 1968, became a republic in 1990, and has had three Prime Ministers since that time. The Muslim community, mostly originating from India, represents 17% of the population of 1.2 million. The island is a melting pot, with the Hindu community (52% of the population) dominating the political apparatus. The island has a large share of Christians (28%), divided into Creoles (African origin), Mulattos (mixed French/Creole) and whites of French or British descent. Chinese descendants (3%) form the most financially secure group, controlling a large share of trade and business alongside Muslim merchants. Muslims have always been a dominant factor in local politics. They were the source of union unrest during the 1970s with the advent of the Movement Militant Mauricien (MMM) of Paul Raymond Berenger, who is of white origin. In 1967, the Muslim community was divided over the issue of independence or association with Britain. A large section of the Muslims opted for independence and their votes weighed the balance. Since 1976 however, Muslims have been largely united behind the MMM of Berenger. For 25 years, Muslims have voted for the socialist party, constantly rejecting government candidates in all elections. This led to a series of anti-Muslim propaganda moves by successive governments in Mauritius, with the worst taking place in the 1985 "hijacking" of the regime by drug mafias assisted by the then Vice Prime Minister, Mr. Harish Boodhoo. Under the leadership of Aneerood Jugnauth, the second Prime Minister of Mauritius, from 1982 to 1995, the country witnessed a series of actions against Muslims. First, was the revocation of the Muslim Personal Law (MPL), a source of much contention between Muslims and successive governments in Mauritius. Then came attempts to limit the rights of the Muslims to travel to Mecca for the Hajj. In 1984, pilgrims, men and women, were savagely stripped and searched at the airport upon arrival from Jeddah. The National Television, MBC TV, stopped a program on Eid Ul Adha with its commentators criticizing the slaughter of cows during the festival. Harish Boodhoo, VP under Jugnauth promised in some of his rallies during the 1983 electoral battle to eradicate the Muslims from Mauritius. He is alleged to have proposed that poison be thrown into the water reservoirs that supply Muslim areas in Port Louis, the capital city of the Island. Harish Boodhoo played an important role in the cementing of divided opposition parties MMM and the Movement Socialist Militant (MSM) of ex-Premier Anerood Jugnauth. He has been the partisan of the sudden eleventh hour alliance between these two formations for the 2000 elections. The MMM-MSM is campaigning on one platform: the ousting of the current Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, son of the father of the nation of Mauritius, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. Under Navin Ramgoolam, the Muslims have been given some opportunities, with many Muslims holding important functions in the government and in public service, something never seen before. Ramgoolam postulates himself as the Prime Minister of the Mauritians, and not that of the Hindus. Unlike Jugnauth, Ramgoolam has not alienated Muslims. Yet he is not guaranteed Muslim support during the present elections. The reason is that the Muslim community has had a long and bad experience under the Labor Party, which Ramgoolam now leads. The Muslim community, ostracized by successive regimes, has been forced to become a dynamic group, standing by itself in the face of adversity. For the current elections, they might vote for the MMM-MSM coalition in their majority, but many votes may also go to the Muslim group Hizbollah (no relation to Lebanon's Hezbollah) under the leadership of Cehl Fakeermeah. The Hizbollah has been a controversial group on the political scene of Mauritius. It won one seat in the general elections of 1995, and its group won at least 3 seats in the ensuing municipal elections. Their power base is in Plaine Verte, where one can find Khadaffi Square and Saddam City in the slums of the capital. Muslims in Mauritius enjoy constitutional rights ranging from freedom to exercise their faith to two hours leave for government workers for Friday prayer. These special rights were guaranteed during the time of independence by one of the fathers of the nation of Mauritius, now a republic, Mr. Abdul Razak Mohamed. The current president of Mauritius is Cassam Uteem, a Muslim who was Minister of Industry in 1991 before his appointment as President by the parliament. The Muslim community has suffered ostracism at the hands of non-Muslim politicians, including Paul Berenger himself. He declared that he believed the Muslim Personal Law (MPL) was a retrograde step. It is, however, speculated that the Muslim community at large will support Berenger's Party, probably for lack of faith in both the Hizbollah and the Labor Party. |
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