Madagascar's energy minister sacked but protesters call for peaceful demonstrations to continue

Protest organisers in Madagascar are calling for peaceful demonstrations to continue despite the dismissal of the country's energy minister on Friday.

The African island nation has seen days of protests over persistent water and energy blackouts.  

On Friday, President Andrey Rojoelina sacked his energy minister in a bid to quell the protests that have seen police fire teargas and rubber bullets at demonstrators. At least five people have been killed.

Businesses in the capital Antananarivo have seen widespread looting. One woman described what happened when she got to the restaurant where she works on Friday morning:

“When we arrived this morning, thieves were still here taking what was left. They had knives and threatened and insulted us. They told us not to move or they would kill us. We can do nothing but cry. They told us they were poor, that they had nothing, and that they were forced to steal.”

The demonstrations have been led by students and young workers frustrated by the lack of services. 

“We have about 12 hours of power cuts a day," said student Lala Herizo. "That means for 12 hours a day, we leave home, go to work, pay taxes, and when we return home, still no electricity. The students at Ankatso are protesting so that classes return to normal. Because right now it’s been a month that they haven’t studied, you know.”

Protesters say the security forces are repressing the population instead of protecting them from looters. 

On Friday, some of them came out to help clean up the wreckage.

“The city is ransacked and it is our duty to clean it up," one young man said. "I support the demonstrations that are happening peacefully. I wish there weren’t so much damage, but looters, unfortunately, there will always be.”

President Rojoelina has branded the protests "acts of destabilitzation” and a "coup d’etat" but says he’s seeking solutions to the blackouts. 

Authorities have imposed an overnight curfew but protests are expected to continue over the coming days.