France's Last African Colony Votes

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000198

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF/FO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV EAID CN FR
SUBJECT: France's Last African Colony Votes

REF: 08 ANTANANARIVO 716


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The island of Mayotte, governed by France but
claimed by the Union of the Comoros since independence in 1975, will
vote March 29 in a "consultation" to become a French Overseas
Department. Most observers expect the overwhelming majority of
Maorais to vote in favor of becoming a Department, preferring
subsidies to autonomy. Comorans on the three independent islands
will protest to express their outrage. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Mayotte is France's last colonial territory in Africa,
governed under "Overseas Collectivity" status which is neither
Territory nor Department in the French system. Mayotte's population
of 200,000 includes "European" and Reunionais minorities, indigenous
Maorais and ethnic Comoran French citizens, and tens of thousands of
illegal immigrants from the Comoros. Mayotte has a high degree of
autonomy, with much Shari'a Law incorporated into legal codes,
tolerance of polygamy, local language instruction in schools, and
significant authority of local government under the Prefect and
General Council. Most observers expect the vote to pass by a wide
margin, indicating Maorais willingness to give up autonomy for the
increased subsidies from France that are expected to come with
Department status. According to the French Ambassador to the
Comoros, Paris has attempted to inform Maorais voters of the
potential negative consequences that may come with diminished
autonomy. Ambassador Hallade also told Comoros Officer, contrary to
Comoran press reports, that even in the event of a "yes" vote, it
will take many years for Mayotte's laws and institutions to be
reformed to qualify to be a Department -- at great expense to the
GOF (REFTEL). According to French colleagues in the Comoros, a 2000
French National Assembly resolution granted Mayotte this right of
self-determination.


3. (SBU) The vast majority of Comorans on the independent islands of
Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli maintain an emotional claim that
Mayotte belongs to the Comoros. One former Minister recently
quipped, "We raise our children from an early age to believe France
stole Mayotte from us." Comorans are virtually unanimous in their
belief that international law is on their side and Mayotte should be
returned to them. Signs around Moroni declare "Mayotte is Comoros
and will be forever," and there is an active "Mayotte Committee"
that constantly pressures the Union Government to do more to
pressure France to give the island back.


4. (SBU) Under this popular pressure, President Sambi has mentioned
Mayotte in his speeches to the UN General Assembly, but foreign
ministry contacts have told us the proper procedural steps have
never been followed to even request to have Mayotte officially on
the UNGA agenda. Comoran officials often site the 1976 draft UN
Security Council Resolution that would have granted Comoros
sovereignty over Mayotte; it was vetoed by France. During the
recent Inter-Comoran Dialogue to address chronic institutional,
governance and constitutional problems in the Comoros, several
speakers blamed all of the country's problems on the Mayotte issue.
One civil society speaker passionately exclaimed, "Once France
returns Mayotte to the Comoros, we will be stable and prosperous!"


5. (SBU) The Mayotte issue permeates all aspects of Comoran life. A
mere 34 years since the islands parted ways, Mayotte's standard of
living is about 10 times higher. Comorans resent needing a visa to
travel to Mayotte (although Ambassador Hallade said 95 percent of
these applications are approved). They protest illegal Comoran
immigrants being expelled from Mayotte; officials at the port of
entry often refuse to accept them upon return. Hundreds of Comorans
die every year attempting to cross the treacherous seas between
Anjouan and Mayotte to illegally immigrate. Another contact noted
that in pre-colonial history the inhabitants of Mayotte were
inferior to Grande Comore, even slaves, thus Grande Comorans resent
these "lower castes" enjoying all the benefits in the Collectivity.
As bizarre is the widely held Comoran belief that France has
deliberately destabilized Comoros so that the country could never
mount a serious claim to retake Mayotte.

COMMENT
--------------


6. (SBU) Post has heard many hypothetical "strategic" reasons for
which France kept Mayotte in 1975; none of them is very convincing.
With La Reunion a French Department in the Indian Ocean, what need
is there for Mayotte's costs and headaches? Perhaps the presence of
a minority of European Catholics in Mayotte persuaded Paris to
maintain Mayotte after 1975 and they have been stuck with it ever
since. END COMMENT.


MARQUARDT