Independence-- With Relief

London's Daily Telegraph called it "Britain's unlikeliest colony." Mauritius, a speck of land in the Indian Ocean 1,400 miles off the African coast, fell to Britain 158 years ago during the Napoleonic wars. Since then, it has cost dearly: a $60-a-ton subsidy on the island's only crop (sugar), almost $8,000,000 in budget support last year alone, and the necessity of moving in troops every time the country's Hindus, Moslems, Chinese and French-speaking Creoles decide to quarrel. No wonder Britain felt relief last week when independence finally came to Mauritius; small wonder, too, that even the issue of independence managed to divide the island.

Nearly half of Mauritius' voters op posed independence (TIME, Aug. 18), feeling that the island has no future without British aid. When the Union Jack finally came down last week in the capital of Port Louis, feelings were still running high. The Creoles, who make up one-fourth of the island's 770,000 people and are against independence, boycotted the ceremony. The capital was still shrouded in mourning for 24 persons killed in January riots between pro-independence and anti-independence forces. Continuing unrest led Princess Alexandra, who had planned to represent Queen Elizabeth at independence ceremonies, to cancel her visit.

Because of tight patrols by police and British tommies, whose numbers were reinforced for the occasion, major violence was averted among rival Creole, Hindu and Moslem groups, who nonetheless continued sniping at one another. Violence or no, Mauritius faces hard times. Britain's sugar subsidy runs out in 1970. By then, Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam of the Hindu-backed Independence Party hopes to diversify the economy and lure new foreign investment. To avert violence, Britain will also help train and equip Mauritius' police and armed forces. As added protection, a company of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry will remain on the island as long as they are needed. That could be for some time.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.