Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANTANANARIVO364
2006-04-18 14:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Antananarivo
Cable title:  

Comoros Holds Primaries in Anjouan

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM CN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6560
OO RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR
DE RUEHAN #0364/01 1081405
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181405Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2598
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0633
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0030
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0028
RUEHPL/AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS 0177
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANTANANARIVO 000364 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

PARIS FOR D'ELIA
DEPT FOR AF/E
KAMPALA FOR MHSIANG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM CN
SUBJECT: Comoros Holds Primaries in Anjouan

REF: ANTAN 263

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANTANANARIVO 000364

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

PARIS FOR D'ELIA
DEPT FOR AF/E
KAMPALA FOR MHSIANG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM CN
SUBJECT: Comoros Holds Primaries in Anjouan

REF: ANTAN 263


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Awaiting official announcement by the
Constitutional Court, the National Electoral Commission of
the Union of the Comoros published interim results from the
April 16 Presidential primary putting candidates Sambi,
Ibrahim Halidi, and Djaanfari through to the second round.
Though nicknamed "Ayatollah" because he studied in Iran and
Saudi Arabia decades ago, frontrunner Sambi neither claims
to be nor appears in his actions to be an Islamic extremist.
The South Africans, under the banner of the African Union
(AU),did an admirable job keeping the peace as
international and national observers were welcomed by
enthusiastic Comoran voters. Neither the National nor
Island Electoral Commission scored high marks for
preparation or management. As long as the Court in Moroni
announces the expected winners, Comoros should rather calmly
turn to the national campaign for the May 14 election. A
more visible AU leadership role, or unexpected wisdom from
Azali, will probably be needed if the second round is to go
so well. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Union of the Comoros has been wracked with
instability since it achieved independence from France in

1975. President Azali took power in a coup in 1999 and then
was voted into power in elections in 2002. If successful,
this election will mark the first peaceful democratic
transfer of power since Comoran independence. The three-
island nation has also suffered secessionist struggles that
led to the current political compromise whereby each island
assumes the presidency in turn. President Azali, coming
from Grand Comore, must therefore cede to a candidate from
Anjouan. The purpose of the April 16 primary on Anjuoan was
therefore to select the three island candidates who will
compete in the national presidential election to be held May

14.

Sambi, Halidi, Djaanfari Projected to Win
--------------


3. (U) As of midday April 18, populist Ahmed Sambi, former
French military officer Mohamed Djaanfari, and President
Azali's party candidate Ibrahim Halidi were projected to
have placed first, second and third in the Anjouan
primaries, passing to the national presidential election May


14. The National Electoral Commission, after two days of
silence, announced unofficial results April 18, giving Sambi
26 percent and Djaanfari and Halidi each 14 percent. The
High Constitutional Court in Moroni has the legal authority
to declare the official winners and is expected to do so
before the 72-hour deadline runs out April 19.


4. (SBU) The only significant candidate not to pass the
primaries was Mohamed Caabi, current Union Vice President,
who reportedly had 10 percent of the vote. Eight other
minor candidates, unknowns or has-beens, each earned five
percent or less. A handful of Caabi supporters and family
caused a disturbance at the hotel housing Union officials
and international observers, chanting that "Azali stole the
election." The protests were small and were kept under
control by South African-led African Union troops.
Observers noted that most Comorans associated Caabi with the
current ineffectual Azali regime, and across the island
whoever voters supported, part of their vote seemed to be
against Caabi. Further, rumors were that Anjouan Island
President Bacar had it in for Caabi, and reportedly deployed
two or three of the other candidates to try to undermine the
Union Vice President.


5. (SBU) A haggard and nervous Caabi came to the hotel in
an attempt to calm and disperse the crowd April 17. He
attempted weakly to deliver a letter of protest to AU
officials, then left the scene. To guarantee safe passage,
the South Africans flew Union government representatives by
helicopter from the hotel to the airport for their departure
from Anjouan. By April 18, international observers had
returned to Moroni and the ballots transferred to the
Constitutional Court; thus Anjouan was mostly quiet awaiting
official results.

"We delivered the election"
--------------


ANTANANARI 00000364 002 OF 003



6. (SBU) South African Ambassador Mabeta, admitting a few
irregularities, proudly said April 17, "we delivered the
election." South African-led AU troops (AMISEC),with a few
Mauritian, Malagasy, and Egyptian forces, were professional
and effective in providing a presence of deterrence. While
not present at most polling stations, the AMISEC handled
crowd control at a few big voting sites, conducted roving
patrols, and stood ready to respond if needed. Above all,
the AMISEC presence, requested by the Union Government and
welcomed by the Comorans, made it possible for all Anjouan
gendarmerie and security forces to stay in their barracks.
There was no sign of domestic Anjouan or Union Comoran
uniforms during the primaries April 16.

International and National Observers
--------------


7. (U) Several independent Comoran observers were joined by
20 international observers led by La Francophonie (OIF) and
including the Arab League, African Union, French and U.S.
Embassies. In addition, each candidate was eligible to have
his own delegate at each voting site - only six or seven had
the support to actually assign someone to most locations.
Embassy Antananarivo PolEcon Chief and Embassy Port Louis
PolOff separately visited a total of over 80 polling
stations, about two-thirds of the 220 sites in Anjouan's
five regions. Turnout appeared to be high, though an
official count will be needed to confirm what percentage of
112,000 registered voters cast a ballot for one of the 12
candidates. Voting lines were full of Comoran women waiting
to cast their vote, many in rural areas descending on the
polls in the afternoons after tending to their work in the
fields all morning. Observers did not report signs of
intimidation or interference.

National and Island Electoral Commission Incompetence
-------------- --------------


8. (SBU) Relatively peaceful and seemingly fair primaries
occurred in spite of incompetence and lack of accountability
at both the National (CNEC) and Island (CIEC) Electoral
Commissions; who were jointly responsible for organization.
Voting materials were delivered late to almost every polling
station, resulting in hours of delay across the island.
Worse, the evening of April 15, the CIEC, with the approval
of the CNEC, accepted a last-minute claim by several
candidates to change dozens of voting bureau presidents.
Responding to the allegation that many were biased, the CIEC
set about finding replacements well into the night, then
trying to communicate the changes across the vast void of
the mountainous isle. As a result many polling stations
failed to open before 2 p.m. April 16, especially in the
southern Nioumakele region.


9. (SBU) The Electoral Commissions almost had an
opportunity to compound their error when Azali's candidate,
Halidi, asked for the election to be canceled late April 16.
His argument was that the irregularity of changing the
polling station presidents (which he had endorsed the day
before!) had disadvantaged his supporters in the Nioumakele
region. Halidi dropped his complaint April 17 when results
came in, including from Nioumakele stations that remained
open past midnight, indicating he had made the top three.
Uncertainty prevailed from the day of the poll through
midday April 18, when the CNEC finally made an interim
announcement.

Least Worst Case Scenario
--------------


10. (SBU) While imperfect, the Anjouan presidential primary
could scarcely have gone better from the perspective of hope
for democracy in Comoros. Sambi, a successful businessman,
devout Muslim, and inspiring populist speaker, was clearly
the candidate for change and the candidate of the poor. His
slogan of "Pour servir, pas se servir" (To serve, not serve
oneself) resonated with frustrated Comorans, as did his
campaign promise to put a roof over every head. Sambi is
the one candidate who would have had genuine street protests
on his behalf if he had lost. (Note: Though nicknamed
"Ayatollah" because he studied in Iran and Saudi Arabia
decades ago, Sambi neither claims to be nor appears in his
actions to be an Islamic extremist. For his running-mate he

ANTANANARI 00000364 003 OF 003


named Idi Nadhoim, an economist who spent five years with
the United Nations in Addis Ababa, a successful businessman,
and well-known secularist moderate. Both Sambi and Idi
speak perfect English and have stated publicly and privately
their wish to work closely with the United States if
elected. End Note.)


11. (SBU) Halidi, while President Azali's party's
candidate, was less associated with the current government
than Caabi, and thus avoided the "referendum" vote against
him. Caabi's failed attempt the morning of April 17 to call
people to the streets using the Mosque bells appeared to
confirm he lacked popular support. Halidi benefited from
Azali's war chest and a limited personal following.
Djaanfari was universally described as a relative unknown;
his French military background will not help in the next
round in a country that has already experienced "French
influence."


12. (SBU) The disturbances caused by Caabi "supporters"
were minor and contained by the South African troops --
although they could have been defused if an Election
Commission or AU official had the nerve to make a public
statement of some kind. Still, overall, the military and
civilian international presence was welcomed as positive by
the vast majority of Comorans.


13. (SBU) COMMENT: Beyond "getting it over with," the
Anjouan primary offers several lessons for the second round.
The National Electoral Commission cannot be counted on in a
crisis, thus Azali himself or international observers will
have to calm tensions when they arise. The South Africans
proved themselves capable of providing security, and even
helped the hapless Electoral Commissions with logistics.
South African Ambassador Mabeta seemed eager keep a low
profile and have his country's troops be seen but not
needed. For South Africa, the AMISEC mission is all
downside: if it goes well it was supposed to, if it fails
it was all their fault.


14. (SBU) Apart from the South Africans, the AU played a
technical role, but offered no real leadership. When
tensions flared at the hotel and Caabi supporters asked to
see an "international observer," AU observers hid in their
rooms while journalists took pictures. Simply accepting a
written request to examine irregularities from Caabi may
have had a calming effect, instead AMISEC had to order the
crowds back across the parking lot. On May 14, it will be
necessary for AU Special Representative Madeira, or some
other authority, to step to the podium with information and
a voice of reason. END COMMENT.


15. (U) Embassy Antananarivo would like to express
appreciation to Embassy Port Louis for their assistance and
cooperation in this election monitoring effort.

SIBLEY