COMORAN PRESIDENT SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000431 SIPDIS SIPDIS ADDIS FOR USAU AMBASSADOR COURVILLE DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF/E CKOLLMAR PARIS FOR D'ELIA PRETORIA FOR POLOFF TRENKLE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PBTS MASS ASEC CASC CN SUBJECT: COMORAN PRESIDENT SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE REF: ANTANANARIVO 425 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. Post received the following letter to President George W. Bush from His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, the President of the Union of the Comoros, via facsimile on May 2, 2314 local time. A copy of the letter is being faxed and emailed to AF/E Desk Officer Maria Beyzerov. ¶2. BEGIN TEXT: UNION OF THE COMOROS Unity-Solidarity-Development -------------- The President Moroni, May 2, 2007 No. 07-144/PR UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION Excellency Mr. President, The Autonomous Island of Anjouan is currently in a particularly tragic situation which is likely to jeopardize the unity and the integrity of the country. Indeed, the representations of the Union of the Comoros in the Island of Anjouan and most particularly the Presidency of the Union and the private residence of the Union President, in which are currently staying the First Lady of the country and her children have been assaulted since early this afternoon. The Militia of the former Head of the Executive of Anjouan, Colonel Mohamed Bacar, equipped with heavy weapons, is currently bombarding Mutsamudu, the capital of the Island of Anjouan, thus sowing terror within the population. These tragic events are the conclusion of the unhappy maneuvers that the former Executive of the Island Mohamed Bacar continues to orchestrate and I had the opportunity to inform the International Community accredited in my country a few days ago. Indeed, the Constitutional Court of the Comoros which has established the expiration of the mandate of the Executive of the Autonomous Island of Anjouan, Colonel Mohamed Bacar last April 14, 2007, requested the President of the Union of the Comoros, in his capacity as Arbitrator and Moderator of the regular functioning of the institutions, to take the necessary measures to ensure the continuity of national life and the activity of the institutional public powers. In this way, I have designated Mr. Houmadi Kaambi legitimate President of the Assembly of the Autonomous Island to temporarily carry out the functions of President of the Island pending the election of the Executive of the Island. However, Colonel Bacar continues to challenge the Constitution and the laws of the Island by refusing to leave power and by continuing to encourage acts of provocation against the Union authorities. As a consequence, the Autonomous Island of Anjouan is currently under siege and the population lives under terror under the rockets and shells that the militia of Colonel Mohamed Bacar is firing. It is in this particularly difficult context that I turn, once again, to Your Excellency to request you to kindly join the Comoran Government, to strongly condemn these tragic events, the sole objectives of which are to undermine the unity of the country, by preventing the conduct of the presidential elections scheduled to take place next June 10th and 24th, in transparency and democracy. I request, by the same occasion, the assistance of your brotherly country in view of allowing the Union Government to put an end to this escalation of violence in the Island of Anjouan, at the earliest possible opportunity, a violence ANTANANARI 00000431 002 OF 002 without legal justification, which will not only result in irreparable casualties and material damage but which will also serve as an inspiration to wrongdoers in the other sister islands, thus putting the country in chaos. Civil peace and the stability of the country are highly threatened Excellency, as well as the process for national reconciliation for which the International Community and the Comoran people have fought for years. With the great hope that you will give a special and urgent attention to this request, please accept, Excellency Mr. President, the assurance of my highest and brotherly consideration. AHMED ABDALLAH MOHAMED SAMBI END TEXT. ¶3. COMMENT: Post notes that President Sambi's description of the Comoran predicament tracks closely with our own assessment of the situation (reftel). Post will report any updates on the current situation in Anjouan as events warrant. END COMMENT. McGEE