This archive report was first published on 18 October 2019.
Madagascar's government has embarked on a massive urban development project in the capital Antananarivo, aiming to ease overcrowding and chronic traffic jams.
Dubbed 'the new sun -- the new city', the Tana-Masoandra project is expected to house government buildings, businesses, and 100,000 inhabitants on a 1,000-hectare site.
However, the project has faced opposition from locals, who are concerned about the impact on rice fields and brickyards surrounding the capital.
On Thursday evening, a group of people attacked a construction site, prompting police to intervene after the construction company reported stone-throwing.
Police spokesman Richard Ravalomanana told AFP that some people immediately threw rocks at the officers, who responded with tear gas.
'Some people immediately threw rocks at the officers, who responded with tear gas,' Ravalomanana said.
One civilian and four officers were injured before police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd, and four people were arrested at the scene.
Construction equipment was also ransacked in the process, according to the land ministry.
The government has refused to disclose the cost of the Tana-Masoandra project, which is expected to be completed in 2024.
The project has sparked concerns about the displacement of local communities and the impact on the island's agricultural sector, which is dominated by rice production.
