France, Alternative Libertair #222 - Mayotte: French colonialism still kills (fr)

The situation of Mayotte is still marked by French colonialism, a situation that may well 
continue, due to the revival of economic interests that represents the region for France 
and its multinationals. ---- October 8 yet another shipwreck occurred off the coast of 
Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, the fourth island of the Comoros archipelago became - 
illegally - the 101st French department April 1, 2011 ... A shipwreck again n ' has not 
generated any excitement, despite extremely heavy record: more than 16 dead or missing for 
migrants and migrants who were preparing to disembark. A massacre in the French waters 
with more than 108 dead and gone-es at least 9 children since the beginning of the year. A 
massacre organized around a French colonial occupation since 1841 ... Of course Mahoran 
Mahorais and defend this situation and loudly proclaim that it is the fruit of their choice.

Choice occurred after a referendum in 1974 more than questionable that a majority was in 
favor of maintaining Mayotte supporters in the French bosom. It is by virtue of this 
result that France has invoked the "right of peoples to self-determination" to justify the 
continuation of the colonial occupation of the island. International law remains a tool 
with variable geometry: Comoros invoke "territorial integrity" to return to the bosom 
Comoros Mayotte. However, territorial integrity advocated by France to justify the merits 
of international military intervention in Mali.

It was in 1995 that France decided to establish a more restrictive border between the 
other three Comorian islands and Mayotte introducing a visa - called "Balladur visa" - to 
regulate traffic between the islands. Occurred in the same year an attempt coup in the 
Comoros and more specifically in Grande Comore driven by French mercenaries including the 
famous Bob Denard. Mercenaries who were undoubtedly accountable to France. Still, the 
crisis came at the right time and has supported the French decision to close the border, a 
barrier came to "protect" the French territory fantasized face a risk of contagion of 
instability.

The playground of the extreme right
Instability controlled by France, which has resulted in at least 28 coups in the Comoros 
since 1975, most are caused by Bob Denard, close to the far right will become even viceroy 
of Comoros. Within thugs who officiate in the region there is also a certain 
Fran?ois-Xavier Sidos, a former head of the FN and the FN division Protection security. 
The latter was taken prisoner during the coup of 1995, when he was alderman of 
Epinay-sur-Seine [ 1 ]. It is undeniable that this archipelago was one of the favorite 
playgrounds of the French far right as you can multiply the examples. The famous "touchy" 
one of shock groups of pro-attachments to France in 1975, and only left the island until 
the 1990s, MPM (Popular Movement Mayotte) were supported and organized Action by the 
French, a major right-wing formations of the time. Do not forget that the Comoros and 
Mayotte Island has a strategic location as close to South Africa ruled for decades by the 
apartheid government supported by the French extreme right. A diet that despite an 
international embargo continued to receive weapons and technical support of France and 
transiting via the Comoros and Mayotte.

This territory remains strategic for France: a hydrocarbon deposit huge among the largest 
in the world, was recently discovered off the Scattered Islands, French possessions a few 
miles from the coast of Madagascar and Mayotte [ 2 ]]. Investment of the multinational 
Bollor?, a large part in port infrastructure, such as the port of Dar El Salaam, Tanzania, 
show a renewed interest in France. Recall that the construction of a railway linking the 
port of Dar El Salam with major mining operations sites in eastern DR Congo r?mocratique 
and the Great Lakes region, where there are the main resources useful in developing 
Western (gold, diamonds, cobalt, coltan, etc..) suggests huge gains for French private 
companies ... The increase in piracy in the Gulf of Aden is one of the strategic revealing 
of region. Mayotte and Reunion thus offer valuable bases for French operations and 
business investment in the region.

No legitimacy without persecution
The question was raised in France, is how to maintain the French colonial presence on the 
island against all tendencies that it creates? To do so France played on two tables: - the 
political instability of the archipelago has lifted sanctions against France put in place 
by the UN (no less than 22 resolutions were taken against France); - second, the 
establishment of Balladur and visa policies against immigration on the island have favored 
the development of xenophobic and racist sentiments among the population yet linked with 
the other islands of the archipelago, all families being dispatched on the four islands. A 
stigma that can draw attention to other problems on inequalities related chronic 
colonization. Effective strategies that will transform the fight against illegal 
immigration in real manhunt: over 21,000 expulsions in 2011 with 5000 still minors!

When the EU becomes an accomplice
In July the European Union which many countries have condemned the French presence in 
Mayotte to the General Assembly of the UN, has yet accepted the French demand to integrate 
Mayotte Outermost Regions (ORs) of EU, joining Guadeloupe, Reunion, French Guiana, 
Martinique, Saint-Martin, the Azores, the Canary Islands and Madeira. A fateful decision 
since the EU decides whether colonial occupation that collects international wrath [ 3 ]. 
An EU that is draped yet since October 12, 2012 in the guise of pacifism awarded the Nobel 
Prize. Schizophrenia French, thus gaining the European Union ... But this seems far from 
stopping, as the indifference of public opinion and a good part of networks of activists 
around the colonial issues is large, so that these issues highlight a French colonial 
imperialism and enduring happiness for the capitalist system.

Tibo, union Mahorais

[ 1 ] See "What is the French army in Africa? "Raphael Granvaud.

[ 2 ] Raphael Benito, "The Scattered Islands, a well-guarded treasure", 09/04/2012, on the 
site of the association Survival: [http://survie.org/billets-d-afrique-> 
http://survie.org/billets-d-afrique

[ 3 ] At the UN General Assembly last September the President of the Federation of Comoros 
has once again demanded the return of France Mayotte in the Comoros on behalf of the 
territorial integrity of the archipelago. International law to the territorial integrity 
defended by Holland begone Mali-war at the same UN Assembly a few hours ago ... A two 
weights, two measures well known in French relations fran?africaines.