Madagascar protests demand reliable water and power, president's resignation

Thousands of young demonstrators took to the streets across Madagascar this week, pressing demands for reliable water and electricity and calling for President Andry Rajoelina to resign, after days of unrest that prompted the president to dissolve his government and drew condemnation from the United Nations. The protests, which began on September 25 in the capital, Antananarivo, over chronic power cuts and water shortages, have spread to other cities and continued despite the cabinet's dismissal on Monday.

President Rajoelina announced the sacking of Prime Minister Christian Ntsay and his government in a televised address, saying he had heard public anger and apologizing if ministers had failed to do their work. He called for dialogue with young people and said interim ministers would remain in place while candidates for a new premier were considered. Protest organisers rejected the move as insufficient, and demonstrators continued to march, many under the banner of a leaderless youth group known as Gen Z Madagascar.

The United Nations human rights office said at least 22 people had been killed and more than 100 injured in clashes since the demonstrations began, and its high...