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By Nathan Choat
Mauritius is an unassuming island. Basking in the Indian Ocean, 1,200 miles from the African coastline, most people would struggle to locate it on a map. Calm, peaceful and free from political unrest, its tranquillity marks it out as an endearing anomaly, a place of stillness in the midst of our tumultuous times. In any other year, the island would be recognised above all as a tourist hotspot, attracting visitors with its tropical climate and diverse culture.
But this is a year like no other.
With approximately 20% of its workforce employed in the tourism sector, travel restrictions enforced to combat the Covid-19 pandemic had a damaging effect on Mauritius’ economy. Then, on the 25th July, a disastrous oil spill took place off the nation’s coastline, wreaking havoc on its coral reefs and threatening its diverse marine ecosystems. Faced with environmental catastrophe, Mauritians would be forgiven for feeling despondent. And yet, in the midst of despair, the inhabitants of the island rallied together in its defence. They founded a movement, and are working to make their voices heard. After many years of shyness, Mauritius is starting to shout.
What happened?
On the 25th July, the Japanese ship MV Wakashio ran aground off the south-eastern coast of Mauritius. It was holding 3,800 tons of fuel oil. There has been much speculation about why the ship sailed so close to the shore—some have put it down to the crew’s desire for a better phone signal—but ultimately, that’s not important. Much more pressing to Mauritians is the 1,000 tons of fuel oil which started leaking from the body of the ship less than two weeks after it ran aground, covering the lagoons and coral reefs of the island in an ominous layer of darkness.
Mauritius’ government swiftly announced a state of environmental emergency the day after the incident occurred, and investigations are still ongoing. However, the official response has been bungled and secretive, with Nagashiki Shipping and Mitsui OSK—the respective owners and charterers of the ship—remaining silent for 12 days before accepting responsibility for the catastrophe. In addition, the Mauritian government resorted to suspiciously authoritarian measures in the days following the spill, preventing journalists from attending a press conference by the leader of the opposition and using intimidation tactics to subdue social activists. Evidently, real accountability for this disaster is lacking.
What does it mean?
In relative terms, the scale of Mauritius’ oil spill is small. What makes the situation so serious, however, is the ecological, environmental and economic disaster that it has caused, and which is still unfolding. Mauritius is a very environmentally sensitive area, serving as home to 1,700 species, many of which are unique to the region. These creatures are severely threatened by the oil spill; even when the visible slick on the surface has been cleaned up, some oil compounds will dissolve and residue will be left behind, having an adverse effect on the ecosystem for years to come.
This is not to mention the catastrophic effect the spill will have on Mauritius’ coral reefs, which protect the coastline from waves and erosion. But as these hotspots of biodiversity are bleached by the oil, one wonders whether it is the resolve of the Mauritian people that is most at risk of deterioration.
How have Mauritians been affected?
It is true that the last few months have not been easy for locals. Tourism brought more than $1.6 billion to the island in 2018, and the oil spill, combined with the pandemic, has ensured that this number is likely to be much, much smaller in 2020—perhaps damagingly so. One leader of the Mauritian tourism industry expressed concern about the impact of the oil spill on “the brand image of Mauritius as a tourism destination”, even after the pandemic is over. Another lamented that with both Covid-19 and the oil spill to contend with, Mauritius is “facing a double challenge.”
But even amongst all this murkiness—the oil’s assault on the island’s biodiversity, its economy, and its people—there is hope. Residents of the island have mobilised on a huge scale, coming together to mount an unprecedented clean-up operation. Some come armed with plastic bottles to skim the oil off the surface of the water, while others have put together makeshift booms to help contain the spill and keep it from causing any more destruction. Beyond the clean-up efforts, a social media campaign has been launched to raise awareness about the oil spill, collect money, and demand action. The movement has since gained traction around the world, with many notable figures—including the environmental activist Greta Thunberg—lending their support.
Mauritians have also shown their determination to save their island by taking to the streets. Sparked by the appearance of several dead dolphins on the shore in late August, 100,000 people marched through the capital of Port Louis to protest against the government’s mismanagement of the crisis, as well as the environmental damage it has caused. The protest was peaceful, and it was joyful: protestors sang the national anthem, dressed in black, and touted defiant placards reading ‘citoyen lève citoyen’ (citizens wake up citizens). Interviewed by The Independent, one protestor saw the demonstration as a real turning point in Mauritian history, claiming “we’ve seen the Arab spring, now we have a Mauritian spring!” This woman senses that a peaceful revolution is afoot—and with 12% of the Mauritian population taking part in this protest alone, she is certainly not the only one.
Since July, Mauritius has mobilised thousands of people at home and around the world to stand up for environmental justice. This, in itself, is a positive sign for the future. Speaking to the BBC, one young Mauritian sums it up well: “unless we start to take care of the environment, we will never have a better society.”
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