Comoran Students Look Abroad For Opportunity

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000088

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/PDPA
DEPT FOR NEA AND EAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID ECON CN
SUBJECT: Comoran Students Look Abroad For Opportunity


1. (U) SUMMARY: Comoran education and foreign ministry officials
express growing concern about the trend in Comoran students going
abroad far and wide seeking educational opportunities. Thousands of
Comorans study in more than 30 countries, some with scholarships,
some self-financed and most obtaining legitimate educations.
However, our Comoran contacts report a trend toward more Comoran
students being exposed to "radical influences" at some destinations.
Foreign Minister Jaffar bemoans the "lack of information and
control" of where these students go and "what becomes of them." END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) Minister of Education Afritaine and Foreign Minister Jaffar
have often expressed to EmbOffs their frustration at lack of
information and "control" of the thousands of Comorans studying
abroad. They express their interest in matching returning students
to job opportunities back home in the Comoros, but also note that
some students are exposed to "radical influences." Some of these
return to the Comoros and others join Islamist terror organizations;
the most extreme example is Comoran-born Harun Fazul, the al-Qaeda
mastermind suspected of being behind the 1998 bombings of U.S.
Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. The Grand Mufti,
government-appointed guardian of Muslim values, shares the concern
of many Comoran Imams and elders about the ideas expressed by some
Comorans returning from abroad. The Mufti told Comoros Officer, "we
are ashamed of Harun Fazul and disown him. We must also work with
friends like the Americans to preserve the Comoros' peaceful and
open-minded Islam against extremism." The Mufti, well-respected
among Comorans but with diminished stature since President Sambi
came to office in 2006, criticized the president for his ties to
Iran and "shi'ism," both of which he said were inconsistent with
Comoran traditions.


3. (U) Foreign Ministry Cultural Affairs Director Moutawal shared
with Comoros Officer the limited reliable data he had on Comoran
students studying abroad:

-- An unknown thousands of French-nationality Comorans study in
France, where some 200,000 persons of Comoran origin reside,
primarily in Marseilles and Paris. Comoran officials report that
Comoran-passport holders have received few scholarships in the last
decade and even have difficulty obtaining visas for self-financed
study;

-- Egypt pays for 15 Comoran students per year, but about 1,000
Comorans study in Cairo where there is a sizeable Comoran community.
Many GOC officials, and the Embassy's one FSN, studied English,
Arabic, and other disciplines at Egytian institutions;

-- Morocco pays each year for 40 Comoran students to study there,
but a total of some 800 Comorans are believed to be studying there,
including former President Azali's son;

-- Tunisia pays for 15 Comoran students each year;

-- Some 200 self-financed Comorans study in Syria;

-- Libya pays for 30 Comoran students to study there;

-- Sudan offers Comorans 25 scholarships each year;

-- Algeria pays for 20 Comoran students each year;

-- In recent years, a growing number (perhaps 100) of
English-speaking Comoran students have found affordable educational
opportunities in Tanzania and Kenya;

-- Iran has reportedly promised President Sambi dozens of
scholarships for Comorans, but there is no confirmation these have
been realized;

-- Comoran students are also known to be studying in Guinea,
Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Mali, Gabon, Congo/B, Bangladesh, India, and
South Africa.


4. (SBU) Moutawal manages scholarship programs provided by host
governments, but does not have good information on private grants
and loans, nor about self-financed students who do not register at
the Ministry or obtain a proper exit visa. His counterpart at the
University of the Comoros is International Relations Director
Youssouff, who also tries to track where Comorans go abroad to
study. He emphasized the important role of the University of the
Comoros in offering young Comorans opportunities to study at home.
Youssoff echoed the regret expressed by other Comoran leaders that
with few scholarships to France or the United States, Comorans
pursue "dubious" opportunities in other countries. He acknowledged
many of the programs in countries above are legitimate and positive
for Comoran participants; but not all of them.


5. (SBU) Both Moutawal and Youssouff shared anecdotes of Comoran
students exposed to radical elements during their studies abroad.
Some return to the Comoros, keep a low profile and try to build a
following preaching a more radical doctrine than Comoros'
traditionally moderate Sunnism. They also fear the "next Harun
Fazul," an impressionable young Comoran betraying his peaceful and
moderate country by joining international terrorism.


6. (SBU) One returned Comoran student, now working in a hotel,
approached EmbOffs to share perhaps a common story. Soifine Said
told us he received a scholarship from a Saudi charity to study in
Malaysia at an international Islamic university. He was expelled,
he said, for a relationship he had with an African female classmate.
Soifine said strict conservative Islam was taught at the
institution and after hours students were exposed to radical ideas.
(COMMENT: Soifine's story seems to reflect other Comoran students
experiences, though clearly he is biased based on his dismissal,
whether or not it was fair. END COMMENT.)


7. (SBU) Former President Azali, perhaps the first Comoran leader to
acknowledge the problem posed by impressionable young Muslim
Comorans studying abroad, established the University of the Comoros
in 2005. Some 5,000 students per year study in three-year degree
programs including humanities, education, tourism management, and
Islamic studies. Every July 5, the day before Comoran National Day,
Azali addresses all University students to encourage them to
contribute to the future of their country. Soon a fourth year of
studies will be added for some majors, allowing graduates to more
easily matriculate to graduate programs, like Fulbright Fellowships.
Currently one Comoran scholar is studying on a Fulbright grant and
in 2008 a professor returned to the Comoros after completing a
Humphrey program in English education. To complement the Embassy's
training program for primary school teachers, we are actively
recruiting Comoran Fulbright and Humphrey candidates. During
September, 2008, meetings at the Department, FM Jaffar and Comoran
Ambassador to the United States Toihiri raised the issue of
scholarships for Comoran students.

MARQUARDT