Should the people hold daily rallies to shake government?

An opposition leader from the Labour Party advised the organisers of rallies in Mauritius to do week-long rallies.

“They rallies done every two weeks will not be effective. I know how to tackle the government through rallies,” Shakeel Mohamed from the Labour Party says.

He adds that, “They should do a week long rally, daily rally for a week, to get the government to sit at the negotiation table.”

He made the comments during a newly launched show called ‘Kitchen Politics’. The show is hosted by Touria Prayag,

Shakeel Mohamed, Whip of Opposition, also said he supports the rallies.

He feels Mauritius is a country where the people is not really known for demonstrations as opposed to Europe and so on.

“We have many keyboard ‘experts’ in Mauritius. It is surprising to see the number of people who went down the streets. There is the youth and the people who do not normally go to protest in the streets who went out.”

It is a good sign he says. That the people is finally taking things in their hands, stepping their foot down.

MESSAGE FROM THE YOUTH

The time has come for the people to say exactly what they want. If they are not happy, they must show they are not happy.

It is a message to the government, to the politicians and to the opposition also, he feels.

“There are some politicians who will not be happy with the rallies. It disturbs the way we do and see politics. But this is necessary. I am okay with the rallies,” he says.

He adds the rallies is a message mainly from the youth in the country.

Mr Mohamed says the end game of these rallies should be the birth of a better Mauritius.

“After these events, I do hope the future governments and this government, will do things differently.

“There are a lot of promises made but the governments should know that the population is ready to go down the street to overthrow them.

“Nothing is done in a short time. I am not the organiser but I know it can be done to throw the government out. Popular pressure can bring down a government.

The ruling politicians, he says, should get down to listen to the people following these rallies.

“They should not come and say ‘I did am not at fault”. This was the comment made the Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth after the rallies.

The local media asked him what did he think of the demands by the demonstrators.

DAILY RALLIES

The rally participants have been pursing one aim, the resignation of the Prime Minister and of his government.

But nothing has transpired so far after 2 massive rallies in the tiny Island republic.

Another rally is scheduled but according to Mr Mohamed, the organisers should get busy doing daily rallies if they want to get the attention of the regime.

The rallies started after the government mishandled a massive oil spill that is still raving the coast of the Island in the south.