Wiretapping of the British High Commissioner in Mauritius and leaking it on Facebook caused uproar around the world and the Mauritian public urged London to wait for Dr.Navin Ramgoolam and NOT to respond.
Mauritius has been shaken by a scandal of Watergate proportions, with the Jugnauth government accused of wiretapping high-profile figures, including British High Commissioner Charlotte Pierre and leaking the tapes on Facebook. The leaks, which exposed sensitive conversations, have sparked outrage both locally and internationally. Many in the west are talking about the dangerous direction Mauritius is taking with a confrontation with the West. It is imperative that the Republic of Mauritius remains an ally of the west despite what the Jugnauths do temporarily.
Among the leaked recordings were discussions between former Prime Ministers Dr. Navin Ramgoolam and Paul Bérenger on national security issues, a sitting judge speaking on court case matters, and senior journalists Rajen Valayden and Nawaz Noorbux discussing internal political strategies and private matters were rendered public. Private conversations of ex ministers and popular personalities like Shakeel Mohamed, Patrick Assirvaden, Stephanie Anquetil and Eshan Juman were also leaked. These shocking breaches have severely compromised trust, with sensitive conversations between Senior Counsel and his client, journalist Axcel Cheney and senior member of the labour party Dr.Arvin Boolell discussing classified national security level IV issues concerning India were also leaked. This democratic backsliding of Mauritius is materializing too fast under the Jugnauth regime and it is imperative for this regime to be removed from ever holding power again in the future. For Mauritius to remain a democracy, political and press freedoms must be protected.
The British High Commissioner’s private remarks, where she humorously referenced the leadership vacuum in the UK, were also leaked, causing embarrassment to the United Kingdom’s diplomatic corps. This breach constitutes a serious violation of the British High Commissioner as her personal conversations are deemed to be state secrets protected by the British Crown. Leaking such valuable recordings to the general public via Facebook is extremely irresponsible and damaging to the global reputation of the Republic of Mauritius while all other embassies that believe in freedom are affected directly by this Gross national security breach. The act of wiretapping either by the Mauritius Telecom or the Mauritian Intelligence services, allegedly under the direction of the Jugnauth government, is being viewed as an authoritarian tactic reminiscent of regimes like Russia and Iran.
This gross violation of trust will force a possible serious reconsideration of diplomatic relationship between Mauritius and the UK, yet the Mauritian public implores the UK to refrain from immediate retaliation. Many believe this abuse of power doesn’t reflect the Mauritian public’s will, as they hope for a rapid change in leadership in the upcoming elections. The next likely prime minister, Dr. Navin Ramgoolam, has reassured that his administration will prioritize restoring good relations with the UK and rectify the shame Mauritius is facing on the global stage.
While the world watches, this scandal underscores the authoritarian depths to which the Jugnauth government has sunk in order to maintain power, potentially at the cost of Mauritius’ democratic values and international standing.
Editor in Chief – Irshad Suffee
