After the launch of a new operation to combat insecurity on Tuesday in Mayotte, residents say they are on reserve due to lack of results.
Published on 04/16/2024 7:26 p.m. Updated on 04/16/2024 7:36 p.m.
Reading time: 2 min The Kavani camp, February 20, 2024 in Mayotte. (OPHELIE VINOT / HANS LUCAS)
A new operation was launched on Tuesday April 16 in Mayotte to combat insecurity, illegal immigration and unsanitary housing. A year following the Wambushu operation which had enjoyed relative success, this new intervention called “clean square” must last three months. Among the objectives: the destruction of 1,300 bangas, the arrest of around sixty gang leaders and reinforced border control. This new operation had been demanded for weeks by groups of residents of the 101st French department.
But a year ago, Operation Wambushu disappointed in Mayotte. The launch of this new intervention is therefore taken with caution by citizen groups fighting once morest insecurity and irregular immigration, interviewed by franceinfo.
Abdou Badirou is the spokesperson for the Forces vives de Mayotte: “The first statements I heard, I take it with a little bit of reservation while waiting for it to come to fruition.” With his collective, they have been calling for reinforced border control for months. The government responds to them with the announcement of the strengthening of maritime and air patrols: “We firmly expect the island’s border to be monitored and protected, therefore the placement of boats which might limit the massive arrival of immigrants to Mayotte. I think it would be good news for Mayotte.”
“A regular presence of law enforcement”
Other good news, according to Abdou Badirou: the “clear place” operation intends to attack the gangs largely responsible for the chronic insecurity in Mayotte: “It’s every morning that the buses that take students back to their school are stoned, windows broken, drivers threatened… Even this morning!”
In recent days, the school transport manager has mentioned a record number of bus stones in certain areas of the island: “So yes, there are strategic places that we have discussed with members of the government, they know it. There will have to be a regular presence of the police so that these places are finally freed for the Mahorais, because these places have remained lawless places.”
This “clear space” operation also intends to attack unsanitary habitats, the bangas. Nearly 1,300 huts must be destroyed but this aspect of the intervention is far from unanimous. “Where will the evicted people be relocated?”ask the associations helping precarious populations.
Recently, the Kavani camp was dismantled, where 700 migrants lived. “Three weeks ago, the prefect decided to dismantle this camp. 350 people are on the street, on the sidewalks surrounding the stadium, without water, without the possibility of daily washing, says Daniel Gros, referent of the Human Rights League in Mayotte. So these people have been put on the street because there is no emergency accommodation. Everything is busy, saturated, there is no accommodation in Mayotte.” Faced with this crisis, the government will release an envelope of five million euros for emergency accommodation. But the construction of these new homes will take months, if not years.
