Pol Ext 8078/49 'Visit of Royal Indian Navy ships to East African ports, Seychelles, Mauritius and Aden' [‎17r] (34/111)

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PnTEIiT.ICrMGE EKPQRT - MAUI^TIUS
SECRET
(0)
The follovdng special report is forwarded for your infonnation, observing that
the political situation seems likely to deteriorate in l^auritius#
2. There is a 2 to 1 preponderance of Indians to all other races in this Island and
there always has been an Indian Nationalist spirit which has as its final goal the
ceding of Mauritius to the Indian Empire*
'3 ; •'Indians fly large India flags on cars and lorries, and there have been many in-
^ ' X3S 0: ^ °P en in shops to the blasters of Merchant Navy ships that the time is
^wling when the Europeans will be pushed out and India will take over Mauritius as a
colony*
4* An Indian Commissioner (Mr* Dev) was appointed some time ago. On the surface
he is well mannered, pleasant and suave, but underneath everyone has a pretty good
idea that he is fomenting trouble. The Communist Councillor (Rozemont) and many
other extremists are known to be in his pocket and he is using them for his own ends.
5* ihe visit of u he DELHI has increased Indian nationalism and a certain amount of
truculence.
6. There is also a certain Indian Youths organisation run on the Boy Scout model.
The boys wear the Indian fore and aft white hat and have poles. I have been infonnec
by certain Frenchmen that their organisations are drilling in the Flacq area using
shields and truncheons (similar to the Police Force) and that they have anti-tear
gas equipment. I have informed the Staff Officer of the Mauritius Police and he
states that this is probably true and that up to last year this movement was 3*500
strong and growing daily.
7. The future outlook is still more dangerous as a general strike of the labour
used on the sugar plantations ’nas been called for during the height of the cutting
season (about August). The police are certain this will occur and are equally
certain that this is a political try out of strength, so that Mr. Dev can see what
forces he has at his call when the time comes to take over Mauritius as an Indian
colony.
8. Under the new Constitution the present Government is very weak with a large
number of extremist Councillors in the majority who shout the usual slogans and are
generally obstructive. Nearly all are Indian or coloured gentry.
9* The Local Press is equally left and makes the most scathing statements about
Government officials which are completely without foundation, but which cause the
usual unrest and discontent, especially as Government servants cannot answer bade iii^
the Press. As the French element put it, "They are only there to be shot at."
10* Lost thinking people in this Island are sure that things must come to a head very
soon and the sooner the better.
(Sgd.) J.E.M. Ruffer.
Major, R.M.
Staff Officer (intelligence)
East Indies Station.