Mayotte: Violent protests in Mamoudzou Feb. 20-21

Event

More than 400 people protested on Wednesday, February 21, in Mamoudzou to denounce the increased influx of Comorian migrants to the islands and demand the resignation of the prefect. Skirmishes with security forces broke out, although no serious injuries were reported. The day prior, February 20, more than 1000 people took to the streets of the city to denounce rising insecurity on the islands.

Context

Armed theft, robberies, and burglaries are common in Mayotte. Rates of petty crime (theft) are particularly high in southern areas of the main island of Grande-Terre, which is popular with tourists, as well as on the east coast around Mamoudzou and on the island of Petite-Terre, home to the most densely-populated areas of Mayotte. Burglaries are typically concentrated in residential areas located near economic centers, near the port of Longoni (close to Koungou), Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi International Airport (DZA), and near government buildings (Mamoudzou and Dzaoudzi).

Since the fall of 2011, protest movements, which occasionally result in outbreaks of violence, have regularly threatened the stability of the department. Mayotte remains one of the poorest French overseas departments; 84 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.

Mayotte has been confronted with significant levels of illegal immigration from the neighboring archipelago of Comoros - located some 70 km (45 miles) away - since Mayotte became a French department. The department's population is thought to be approximately 43 percent undocumented migrants - a situation which has incited the local population to violence against immigrants, who are often blamed for the increasing insecurity in the department.

Advice

Individuals in Mayotte are advised to avoid all demonstrations and to keep abreast of the situation.