Angry islanders: Why France faces protests overseas
Channel News Asia, 18 Mar
2018 10:41AM
PARIS: A
month-long campaign of strikes and protests on the French Indian Ocean island
of Mayotte has shone a light on the simmering resentment in some of France’s
tropical outposts over perceived neglect by the state.
month-long campaign of strikes and protests on the French Indian Ocean island
of Mayotte has shone a light on the simmering resentment in some of France’s
tropical outposts over perceived neglect by the state.
 |
| A month-long campaign of strikes and protests on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte has shone a light on the simmering resentment in some of France’s tropical outposts over perceived neglect by the state AFP/Ornella LAMBERTI |
Supplies
of fuel, drugs and other essentials are running dangerously low on the island
of 250,000 people off southeast Africa as protesters dig in for more funding –
and empathy – from Paris.
of fuel, drugs and other essentials are running dangerously low on the island
of 250,000 people off southeast Africa as protesters dig in for more funding –
and empathy – from Paris.
The spice
island in the Comoros archipelago, which has been governed by France since the
mid-1800s, is the fourth overseas territory to be paralysed by strikes over
living conditions in the past decade.
island in the Comoros archipelago, which has been governed by France since the
mid-1800s, is the fourth overseas territory to be paralysed by strikes over
living conditions in the past decade.
An attack
by a gang on a school lit the fuse on frustration over mass migration and growing
lawlessness in France’s poorest department, which many link to the influx of
arrivals by sea from neighbouring non-French Comoran islands.
by a gang on a school lit the fuse on frustration over mass migration and growing
lawlessness in France’s poorest department, which many link to the influx of
arrivals by sea from neighbouring non-French Comoran islands.
Visiting
minister for overseas territories Annick Girardin failed to convince the
demonstrators to abandon the barricades this week, despite a promise of police
reinforcements to combat crime and a clampdown on illegal migration.
minister for overseas territories Annick Girardin failed to convince the
demonstrators to abandon the barricades this week, despite a promise of police
reinforcements to combat crime and a clampdown on illegal migration.
“They
made the same promises to our parents and grandparents,” Toto Amachebane,
head of a striking transport company, said dismissively.
made the same promises to our parents and grandparents,” Toto Amachebane,
head of a striking transport company, said dismissively.
France’s
collection of overseas territories stretch from the islands of Wallis and
Futuna in the South Pacific to Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the northwest
Atlantic to Reunion island off Madagascar.
collection of overseas territories stretch from the islands of Wallis and
Futuna in the South Pacific to Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the northwest
Atlantic to Reunion island off Madagascar.
Attachment
to the former colonial mothership is generally strong, particularly in the five
overseas departments of Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Mayotte and
Reunion island.
to the former colonial mothership is generally strong, particularly in the five
overseas departments of Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Mayotte and
Reunion island.
But many
in the scattered parts of overseas France complain of being made to feel like
an afterthought.
in the scattered parts of overseas France complain of being made to feel like
an afterthought.
The
development gap with the mainland is particularly striking in Mayotte, which
broke ranks with the three other Comoros islands in voting against independence
in the 1970s but was only fully integrated into France in 2011
development gap with the mainland is particularly striking in Mayotte, which
broke ranks with the three other Comoros islands in voting against independence
in the 1970s but was only fully integrated into France in 2011
Unemployment
of 25.9 percent is over double that in France as a whole and public services
are woefully deficient: Mayotte had 18 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants in 2012,
compared to an average of 201 in the rest of France.
of 25.9 percent is over double that in France as a whole and public services
are woefully deficient: Mayotte had 18 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants in 2012,
compared to an average of 201 in the rest of France.
“There
is a lot of impatience in Mayotte. Some people expected things would be settled
in six months, but it’s going to take a generation or two,” Olivier
Sudrie, an economist at BDE consultancy on governance told AFP.
is a lot of impatience in Mayotte. Some people expected things would be settled
in six months, but it’s going to take a generation or two,” Olivier
Sudrie, an economist at BDE consultancy on governance told AFP.
While
poor in French terms, Mayotte is a beacon of prosperity for residents of the
severely impoverished, coup-prone Comoros.
poor in French terms, Mayotte is a beacon of prosperity for residents of the
severely impoverished, coup-prone Comoros.
In scenes
reminiscent of the Mediterranean, thousands of Comorans pile into rickety boats
to make the 70-kilometre (44-mile) crossing to Mayotte each year, including
large numbers of pregnant women.
reminiscent of the Mediterranean, thousands of Comorans pile into rickety boats
to make the 70-kilometre (44-mile) crossing to Mayotte each year, including
large numbers of pregnant women.
Migrant baby boom
“Mayotte
has become an open-air Sangatte,” Said Hachim, one of the protest leaders,
told Le Monde newspaper this week, referring to an infamous migrant camp in
northern France that was closed in 2002.
has become an open-air Sangatte,” Said Hachim, one of the protest leaders,
told Le Monde newspaper this week, referring to an infamous migrant camp in
northern France that was closed in 2002.
Some
9,600 babies were delivered in Mayotte’s hospital last year — a record for a
French hospital — of which 70 percent were born to migrant parents hoping to
secure French citizenship for their child.
9,600 babies were delivered in Mayotte’s hospital last year — a record for a
French hospital — of which 70 percent were born to migrant parents hoping to
secure French citizenship for their child.
Schools
are also bursting at the seams, creating resentment among locals who fear being
further pauperised by the situation.
are also bursting at the seams, creating resentment among locals who fear being
further pauperised by the situation.
The
government this week suggested giving Mayotte’s hospital special
“extra-territorial” status so that children born there would not
automatically qualify for French passports.
government this week suggested giving Mayotte’s hospital special
“extra-territorial” status so that children born there would not
automatically qualify for French passports.
Half-way
around the world, a wave of illegal immigrants has also piled pressure on
public services in French Guiana, a vast, forested territory with an acute lack
of schools and paved roads.
around the world, a wave of illegal immigrants has also piled pressure on
public services in French Guiana, a vast, forested territory with an acute lack
of schools and paved roads.
Protesters
shut down Kourou spaceport, a major launchpad for European satellites, for
several weeks last year to demand a “takeoff plan” for the area.
shut down Kourou spaceport, a major launchpad for European satellites, for
several weeks last year to demand a “takeoff plan” for the area.
“Not Father Christmas”
During a
visit in October President Emmanuel Macron promised to limit benefits for
newcomers “to reduce the attractiveness” of the territory.
visit in October President Emmanuel Macron promised to limit benefits for
newcomers “to reduce the attractiveness” of the territory.
But he
also declared he was “not Father Christmas” accusing previous
governments of making “too many unkept promises.”
also declared he was “not Father Christmas” accusing previous
governments of making “too many unkept promises.”
In 2009,
the then right-wing government agreed to a system of salary top-ups to offset
high living costs in Guadeloupe and Martinique which were ground to a
standstill by month-long general strikes.
the then right-wing government agreed to a system of salary top-ups to offset
high living costs in Guadeloupe and Martinique which were ground to a
standstill by month-long general strikes.
The
people of Mayotte insist they are not looking for handouts.
people of Mayotte insist they are not looking for handouts.
“The
Mahorais (Mayotte residents) fought to be French and to be free,” Hachim,
the protest leader told Le Monde.
Mahorais (Mayotte residents) fought to be French and to be free,” Hachim,
the protest leader told Le Monde.
“We
are not beggars,” he said.
are not beggars,” he said.
For
Claude-Valentin Marie, a sociologist at the French Institute for Demographic
Studies, they just want what those on the mainland take for granted.
Claude-Valentin Marie, a sociologist at the French Institute for Demographic
Studies, they just want what those on the mainland take for granted.
“They
want to be like other French departments in terms of education, economic
activity, health and security,” he told AFP. “They no longer want to
be the exception.”
want to be like other French departments in terms of education, economic
activity, health and security,” he told AFP. “They no longer want to
be the exception.”
