'Born-fighter' Bruneau unstoppable in the war against corruption

Waving his fist in the air Nelson Mandela-style, street fighter Bruneau Laurette is shaking Mauritius up from the bottom.

“I am born a fighter and I will not budge with the flimsy accusations,” is the battle-cry for the leader of a new opposition force.

Still in his infancy in the political arena, Mr Laurette was a virtual unknown until the dramatic events following the oil spill in the south of the Island.

He rose to immediate fame for his stance on the oil spill and the damages it is doing to the pristine eco-system in this part of Mauritius.

The rallies he led are attracting huge crowds and the participants are sending one message to the ruling coalition: QUIT!

Speaking to the media after his release from the grip of the CID in Port Louis, he showed tenacity.

“They are attacking everyone who is fighting against corruption and against the ‘lying’ Prime Minister,” he says.

CHEATED BY TRUST?

Laurette was briefly arrested on September 22 for a case of cheating by trust.

The accuser, one Prithviraz Oogur, director of a car rental company made a police report against Laurette. He says the latter gave him a check that bounced.

But after his court appearance, Mr Laurette says he had already settled the matter in July.

This was an opportunity for the man to make a speech to the media,

He lambasted the authorities for their attempts to stop him in his fights.

His message is for all Mauritians and he believes there are not racial division in race in the country.

Mauritius is known as a peaceful nation where the Hindu majority lives in peace with other minorities, the General Population and the Muslims in particular.

WEAK OPPOSITION

In his startling message, Laurette alluded to the ‘weak’ opposition which he says is not doing their job.

“If the opposition cannot do the job against the regime, I will do it,” he says.

The opposition parties in Mauritius are now united in a grouping to bring more bite in their fight against the regime.

The Labour Party, the biggest opposition group, joined the MMM of Paul Berenger and the PMSD of Xavie Luc Duval in a loose alliance.

But the opposition does not have enough seats in Parliament to check and balance the MSM-ML-Others regime.

However, the opposition is in support of the movement launched by Mr Laurette, according to sources.