Democracy and Political Governance Chapter 3 were violent clashes in 1964 between Hindu and Creole communities in southern Mauritius. Creole fears of Hindu domination caused these after the victory of the Mauritius Labour Party (MLP) under Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. There were violent clashes between Muslim and Creole communities in the capital, Port Louis, in 1968, just six weeks before independence. They left 25 people dead. Riots broke out in 1999 and continued for three days throughout the island after a Creole singer died in police custody. The protesters (largely Creole) believed that a police beating caused the death and saw it as further evidence of injustice against the Creole people in Mauritius. The riots disrupted economic activity in Mauritius. The police and the Special Mobile Force had to stop them. 94. 95. 82 According to the CSAR, there are various causes of internal tension in Mauritius. They include the perception by minorities (in particular, the Afro-Mauritian Creoles) that Hindus dominate the senior civil service. The Afro-Mauritian Creole community also believes that Hindus dominate politics and exclude them from political power. The CSAR identifies various national measures involving state and nonstate stakeholders that aim to manage diversity, address ethnic and religious tensions, and improve cultural interaction in Mauritius. First, sections 3 to 16 of the Mauritian constitution guarantee and protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all citizens. However, the CSAR recognises that the constitution does not always distinguish between religious practices and cultural practices, and that it sometimes confuses religion with culture. Secondly, the CSAR notes that the constitution provides for the fair representation of ethnic minorities, at the parliamentary level, via a best-loser system (BLS) as a way of ensuring access to political power by minorities. The BLS assigns eight seats to nonelected candidates based on their ethno-religious affiliations in order to allow a fair and adequate representation of each community in Parliament. The Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC) allocates the eight seats using a mechanism prescribed by section 31(2) and the first schedule of the constitution. The latter states that the ESC should appoint the eight ‘best losers’ to ensure that the officially recognised ethnic groups are adequately represented without changing the existing balance of power between the elected representatives. Thirdly, the CSAR observes that the government of Mauritius has always seen the equal and fair representation of the different religious groups as essential to the wellbeing of the country. Chapter 3 Democracy and Political Governance 96. The government established the Ministry of Arts and Culture [which is now the Ministry of Education, Culture and Human Resources (MECHR)] to improve cultural interaction and manage diversity. It is responsible for promoting cultural interaction between different cultural groups and does so by sponsoring cultural programmes. Some of the objectives of the MECHR are to: • • • • • • Preserve and foster cultural values at both individual and collective levels. Promote cultural interaction between different cultural groups, in the country and abroad, to promote mutual understanding and enrichment. Upgrade, strengthen and extend the existing cultural infrastructure, and establish new structures. Support associations of artists and individuals involved in artistic and cultural activities. Organise cultural activities for the public. Encourage the development of a dynamic arts and culture sector. 97. The CSAR also notes that the government has provided for the allocation of subsidies to different religious bodies, to promote and protect religion and culture, in the national budget. 98. The Council of Religions was formed following the World Peace Summit in 2000. It comprises religious leaders from the five major religions: the Bahai faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Its main objective is to improve cooperation between the religious and spiritual communities in Mauritius so that they can understand one another better. The CSAR notes that the Council is important for managing religious diversity and fostering a culture of religious tolerance. Interstate conflicts 99. The CSAR notes that one of the reasons for Mauritius’s success is that the country has never experienced conflict with any of its neighbours since independence. The CSAR further notes that Mauritius fosters good political and cultural relations with its neighbours. ii. Findings of the CRM Intrastate conflict 83