Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Jonathan Chauremootoo
Published on 2024-02-21 11:47:09
The death of Joseph Reginald Topize in police custody on February 21, 1999, triggered several days of riots in Mauritius. During the violence, the police fired on the crowds and killed three people, including the singer Berger Agathe. In some regions, houses were burned on the basis of communal rumors, and numerous businesses were looted. The country was in flames.
Who was Kaya and why did his death provoke so much anger among the population?
Joseph Reginald Topize was born in Roches-Bois on August 10, 1960. Due to his family’s poverty, he stopped attending school at an early age. However, he showed a talent for music from a young age. As a teenager, he learned to play the guitar and later performed songs by Bob Marley at a concert in Baie-du-Tombeau. The crowd praised his performance, and he was dubbed with a stage name that would become legendary.
During a retreat in Chamarel, he immersed himself in Rastafarian culture, particularly learning from a man named Rodoman, considered the first Rasta established in Mauritius. In the hills of Chamarel, Kaya discovered sega-reggae, a fusion of Jamaican and Mauritian sounds, which he developed into his own unique style called “seggae.”
His first album, “Seggae Mo Lamizik,” was released on cassette in 1989 with the group Racinetatane and achieved record sales. Kaya and Racinetatane attracted tens of thousands of spectators, with an estimated 40,000 people attending one of their concerts at Rose-Hill Stadium.
Kaya’s deep and thoughtful lyrics, expressed in a language understood by all, resonated intensely with the population, especially with poor and marginalized communities. His albums were successful in both Mauritius and Réunion, making Kaya a symbol and an example for several generations of children from the ghetto.
On February 16, 1999, the Republican Movement of Rama Valayden organized a free concert in Rose-Hill advocating for the decriminalization of cannabis, where many people consumed cannabis. Two days later, several people, including Kaya, were arrested by the police. They all claimed not to have consumed cannabis, except for Kaya.
He was detained at Alkatraz in the Central Barracks, with his family struggling to gather the sum of Rs 10,000 to pay his bail. Kaya reportedly spent the weekend in a police cell before regaining his freedom on Monday. However, early on the morning of Sunday, February 21, the police found him dead in cell No. 6. The circumstances of his death remain unclear to this day, despite several autopsy reports.
On that day, many Mauritians condemned a new act of police brutality, as previous deaths in police custody and acts of police brutality had been denounced. Riots ensued in the streets, with the anger of the people directed at the symbols of the state, including police stations and members of the police force.
The country experienced several days of rioting, with the tension escalating and giving rise to racial tensions, house burnings, and vengeful rumors. It took the intervention of courageous public figures to calm the population, including the then President, Cassam Uteem, and other leaders traversing the country for peace.
The riots highlighted the precarious and marginalized situation of a portion of the population, leading to various actions in their favor. Kaya’s death unearthed the dormant demons of Mauritian society, and his memory now serves as a reminder of the battles he fought for unity and a better Mauritius.
In addition, a much broader understanding of the Kaya case is essential.
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
