A wreath-laying ceremony was held, this morning, at the stele of Anjalay Coopen in Cottage to commemorate the 80th death anniversary of Late Anjalay Coopen.
Wreaths were laid by the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun; the Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and International Trade, Mr Maneesh Gobin; the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mrs Kalpana Devi Koonjoo-Shah; the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck; as well as other eminent personalities.
“Anjalay Coopen is a symbol for Mauritian women and for the workers’ struggle”. Statement by Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun. Anjalay Coopen, she underlined, represents an important historical figure, particularly for women, as she is an iconic symbol of the Mauritian people’s struggle for their human rights, despite the fact that she was only 32 years old and was carrying a child at that time.
Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun refused to answer any further questions from the press.
The same goes for the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Maneesh Gobin. He again refused to answer questions about the allegations made against him in the so-called “Stag Party” case.
On 27 September 1943, Anjalay Coopen, six months pregnant, was shot dead during a major strike on the Belle-Vue Harel sugar plantation.
