Azor Adélaïde (15 February 1922 – 25 November 1971), also known as Azor Adelaide, was a Mauritian Creole political activist who was shot and assassinated along Chasteauneuf Road in the town of Curepipe, Mauritius on 25 November 1971.[2] Although witnesses have provided detailed accounts of the murder it remains unsolved.[3]
Azor Adelaide | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 February 1922 Beau-Bassin, Mauritius |
| Died | 25 November 1971 (aged 49) Curepipe, Mauritius[1] |
| Political party | Mouvement Militant Mauricien |
| Occupation | Activist |
Events on the day of Azor Adélaïde's murder
editActivists of the newly-formed MMM were preparing to put up posters advertising for a public meeting to be held 2 days later on 27 November 1971 at Cité Atlee. At 15:30 gangsters travelling in a Ford Falcon sedan (registration number V643) shot at an MMM activist's Hillman car (registration number B614) as they travelled along Rue Chasteauneuf near the round-about intersecting with Royal Road, Curepipe. MP Dev Virahsawmy was a passenger on the rear seat of Hillman B614, as it was being driven by an activist of the MMM. Retired docker and MMM activist Azor Adélaïde, who was also on the rear seat of the Hillman B614, was fatally struck by a bullet. Minutes earlier Paul Bérenger had been shot at 3 times by the same gunmen in front of the Hotel de Ville or municipality of Curepipe, but Bérenger managed to escape and hide behind bamboo bushes nearby. Bérenger's Peugeot 404 (registration number N193) had stopped in front of the municipality of Curepipe and its passengers Yves Raboude, Désiré Carré, Saïd Mungroo and A. Cotobally were about to seek the municipality's approval stamps for the MMM posters. Soon after the MMM activists sought shelter, Bérenger's Peugeot 404 N193 was set alight by the same 4 thugs who travelled in the Ford Falcon V643.[4][5][6][7]
Trial of Sir Gaëtan Duval
editIn 1989 two ex-prisoners Paul Sarah and Moorgesh Shummoogum alleged in a statement to the police that in 1971 Sir Gaetan Duval had planned and commandeered the murder of Azor Adelaide at his Grand-Gaube bungalow. They made the police statement at the police station located outside then Prime Minister Sir Aneerood Jugnauth's residence at La Caverne, Vacoas. Paul Sarah, Moorgesh Shummoogum, Ignace Bahloo and André Celestin had already served prison sentences for their involvement in the 1971 murder.[8]
During the afternoon of 23 June 1989 Duval landed at Plaisance Airport in Mauritius from Madagascar and he was questioned by Superintendent of Police Reesaul of the Anti Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU). Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Cyril Morvan was also travelling on the same flight.[9]
Duval was escorted to Line Barracks in Port Louis where he was arrested on murder charges. He was questioned in the presence of his lawyer Kader Bhayat before being detained at the barracks of Special Mobile Force in Vacoas. The arrest led to various protests by Gaetan Duval's supporters which sometimes turned violent. They protested against the dictatorial behaviour of then PM Sir Aneerood Jugnauth. However after a lengthy trial Duval was acquitted of all murder charges.
Bibliography
editThe murder of Azor Adelaide is a central theme of the 2011 book L'affaire Azor Adélaide: le plus célèbre crime politique à Maurice which was written by Mauritian author Eric Bahloo.[10]
Earlier in 2004 Jacques Panglose published a book Le procès du Roi which details the judicial battle of politician and lawyer Sir Gaetan Duval who was accused in 1989 by his former bodyguards of plotting and ordering the murder of Azor Adelaide.[11][12]
In 2017 author Loga Virahsawmy published her book The Lotus Flower, a conversation with Dev Virahsawmy which provides an account of key witness Dev Virahsawmy.[13]
References
edit- ^ "48e anniversaire: Azor Adelaïde 1ère victime d'assassinat politique". 2019-11-27. Inside News.
- ^ "Translations on Sub-Saharan Africa, Issues 1379-1380". 1973. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
- ^ Chicooree-Mercier, Nita. "A Glimmer of Hope". www.MauritiusTimes.com. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
- ^ La Chronique de Cronos. "Remembering Azor..." L'Express. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
- ^ "Azor Adélaïde : Comment l'oublier? demande son fils Jocelyn de retour au pays". L'Express. Retrieved 2011-11-27.
- ^ Virahsawmy, Loga (2017-06-03). The Lotus Flower, A conversation with Dev Virahsawmy. Mauritius: Caractère Ltée. p. 67. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ Mouvement Militant Mauricien (1983-08-15). L'histoire d'un combat MMM 1969-1983 (PDF). Mauritius: Lemwee Graphics. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "Interview of Eric Bahloo on his new book about Azor Adelaide's murder". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2012-10-01.
- ^ "Arrestation de Sir Gaëtan Duval à l'aéroport de Plaisance". L'Express. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
- ^ "Publication:Eric Bahloo, l'affaire Azor Adelaïde". Le Mauricien. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ Panglose, Marie Jacques Laval (2004). Le procès du Roi. ISBN 9789990399202. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ "Panglose raconte le roi Gaëtan Duval". L'Express. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ Daby, Pradeep. "Livre - Loga raconte Dev, le marxiste-athée devenu chrétien". Defimedia. Retrieved 2017-06-03.
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