Abdool Razack Mohamed (1906–1978) was a Mauritian politician who played a prominent role in the political life of Mauritius during the period leading up to and following the country's independence in 1968. He was associated with the political organisation of the Muslim community in Mauritius and served as a long-standing parliamentarian representing constituencies in the capital, Port Louis.
Key facts
| Full name | Abdool Razack Mohamed |
|---|---|
| Born | 1906 |
| Died | 1978 |
| Nationality | Mauritian |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Country of activity | Mauritius |
Background
Mauritius in the early twentieth century was a British colony with a plural society composed of communities of Indian, African, European, Chinese and mixed origin. The Indo-Mauritian community, which included a sizeable Muslim population whose ancestors had migrated from the Indian subcontinent during the period of indentured labour and trade, gradually came to play a central role in the island's politics from the 1930s onwards as the franchise was widened. It is in this context that Abdool Razack Mohamed entered public life.
Political career
Abdool Razack Mohamed was active in Mauritian politics during the decades preceding independence, when constitutional reforms progressively expanded representative government. He was associated with the political mobilisation of the Muslim community of Mauritius and served as a member of the Legislative Council and, subsequently, of the Legislative Assembly of Mauritius.
During the constitutional negotiations and electoral contests that shaped the transition from colony to independent state, leaders representing the country's various communities — including Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam of the Labour Party, Sir Gaëtan Duval of the Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate, and others — played defining roles. Abdool Razack Mohamed was among the political figures of his generation involved in these processes on the side of forces that supported eventual independence.
Significance
Abdool Razack Mohamed is remembered as one of the senior Muslim political leaders of twentieth-century Mauritius. His career spanned the late colonial period and the first decade of independent Mauritius, during which the country's parliamentary institutions, communal political balance and constitutional framework took shape. Public spaces in Port Louis have been named in his memory.
Related topics
- Mauritius
- Politics of Mauritius
- Port Louis
- Indo-Mauritians
- Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
- Independence of Mauritius
References
- Wikidata entry: Q4665131