The Federal Republic of the Comoros which comprises three islands: Grande Comores, Anjouan, Moheli and the Mayotte, is administered by France (Country Reports 1998 1999, 76).

According to the Indian Ocean Newsletter (ION), in early September 1999 the Kongazi movement, "which describes itself as a grouping of defenders of the interests of Ngazidja Island [Grande Comores] asked civil servants [from the Anjouan island] to pack their bags and return to their islands before September 16" (18 Sept. 1999, 7).

In May 1999, Colonel Assumani Azzali, the president of the Comoros,

refused to let the 500 students from Anjouan Island sitting the baccalaureate exam to come and sit the exam on Moheli island or Grande Comores Island at the end of August. Furthermore, in the past two months, several senior civil servants originating from Anjouan Island have been fired from their jobs in Morin, including the secretary general of public works Ahmed Mahamoud, the director general of finance Mohamed Yahaya, and the director general of ONICOR, Abdul Hamid Affraitane (ibid. 4 Sept. 1999, 2).

In April 1999 the leaders of the other islands, with the exception of Anjouan, signed an agreement of a federal state in Antananarive, Madagascar (Libération 3 May 1999). Libération reports that the following day, there were demonstrations in the city which lasted three days. Unemployed youths reportedly harassed Anjouanais and chased them from their homes and jobs, and "thousands" of Anjouanais were "stripped" of all their belongings (3 May 1999).

This information is corroborated by The New York Times of 1 May 1999 which states that the army took power reportedly

to stop violent demonstrations on the main island against residents from Anjouan island...Earlier this week Comorans...broke into the houses of Anjouanais, beating them and telling them to leave...nearly 1,000 people are believed to have left Grand Comore for Anjouan this week...one took responsibility for whipping up sentiment against the Anjouanais, but some members of the old guard, military men who ruled the country after past coups, went on the radio earlier this week saying the Anjouanais should be driven out" (ibid.).

Anti-Anjouanais sentiments on the main island originate in the 1997 secessionist attempts. On 3 August 1997 separatists on the Anjouan island "unilaterally declared independence" from the Federal Republic of the Comoros (ARB Sept. 1997, 12775). The declaration followed agitation and clashes on the Anjouan, particularly, in the towns of Mutsamudu and Moroni (ibid., July 1997, 12759). On 5 August 1997 the separatists elected Abdallah Ibrahim as their president and pledged elections at the end of the year (ibid.). The island of Anjouan reportedly wanted to be re-integrated with France, a move that the French government reportedly discouraged (ibid., 12760; ibid., 12776). The Anjouan separatists agreed to negotiate with the authorities of government under the auspices of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), but the conflict has not been resolved (ION 18 Sept. 1999, ibid., 3 July 1999; 4 Sept. 1999, 2; AFP 14 Dec. 1997).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social, and Cultural Series [Oxford]. September 1997. Vol. 34. No. 8. "Separation, Federation or Recolonisation."

_____. August 1997. Vol. 34. No. 7. "Comoros Islands: Separatist Troubles."

Agence France Presse (AFP). 14 December 1997. "Secessionists Returning to Uncertain Future." (NEXIS)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998. 1999. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

The Indian Ocean Newsletter (ION) (Paris). 18 September 1999. No. 871. "Anti-Anjouan Campaign in Moroni."

_____. 4 September 1999. No. 869. "Comoros Islands: OAU Recontacts Anjouan."

_____. 3 July 1999. No. 864. "Politics & Power: Comoro Islands." (NEXIS)

Libération [Paris]. 3 May 1999. "18e putsch aux Comores : L'armée a chassé les institutions élues sans verser de sang." (NEXIS)

The New York Times. Donald G. McNeil Jr. 1 May 1999. "Army Reportedly Seizes Indian Ocean Nation." (NEXIS)