Violent clashes erupted in Madagascar’s capital on Thursday as approximately 1,000 demonstrators, mobilised by a youth-led group known as “Gen Z Madagascar”, took to the streets to demand the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina. Police deployed armoured vehicles, tear gas, and stun grenades to disperse the crowds, who in turn threw stones and erected barricades with burning tyres in the third consecutive week of significant unrest in the Indian Ocean island nation, according to the Associated Press.
The demonstrations, which have also spread to cities like Toliara, were sparked initially by severe water and power cuts but have since broadened to encompass deep-seated frustrations over alleged corruption, nepotism, and pervasive poverty that affects the vast majority of the Malagasy population.
The youth-led movement escalated its pressure on Thursday by calling for a general strike and openly rejecting the President’s attempts at de-escalation. The confrontation between protesters and security forces near Lake Anosy was intense, with police firing rubber bullets. Reporters for Agence France-Presse (AFP) noted that at least six individuals were injured by either rubber bullets or stun grenade projectiles, and tear gas was fired near a maternity ward, forcing the movement of premature babies.
This latest round of unrest comes after concessions from President Rajoelina failed to quell the popular anger. In the wake of the protests, which began on September 25, the President dissolved his entire Cabinet and, on October 6, appointed army general Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as the new Prime Minister, as reported by Firstpost Africa. However, the youth movement rejected a subsequent offer for dialogue that was set for Wednesday, demanding instead a full-scale change in the political system and the President’s immediate departure.
The human cost of the three-week protest movement has been substantial. The United Nations has reported that at least 22 people have been killed and dozens injured since the demonstrations began, though the government has disputed this death toll. The UN human rights office stated that the victims include both protesters and bystanders killed by security forces, as well as those who died in subsequent violence and looting by criminal elements. Despite the risks and the violent response from security forces, including the detention of several activists, the "Gen Z Madagascar" movement appears resolute in its determination to continue its fight for systemic reform.