Conference dedicated to French-occupied Mayotte Island adopts final declaration

An international conference themed “Illegal occupation of Mayotte island of the Union of the Comoros by France” was held in Baku on September 3.

Report informs that the conference adopted a final declaration.

The declaration reads:

“We, the participants of the conference, express our sincere gratitude to the Baku Initiative Group for organizing this event and to the Azerbaijani people for their warm and friendly hospitality.

The event dedicated to the island of Mayotte, illegally occupied by France, provided an opportunity for all interested parties to exchange views on the colonial policy of the French government.

Historical Context:

On July 6, 1975, the Comoros Islands declared independence. Prior to this, in 1974, a referendum was held throughout the Comoros Islands (including Mayotte), firmly supporting Comorian independence.

The new Comorian State was unanimously admitted to the United Nations on November 12, 1975, with Resolution 3385 (XXX) of the United Nations General Assembly, confirming the necessity to respect the unity and territorial integrity of the Comorian State, consisting of the islands of Anjouan, Grand Comor, Mayotte, and Moheli.

Despite the will expressed by the Comorian people in 1974, France insisted on holding another vote for Mayotte and, in 1976, illegally conducted a referendum on this island, contrary to Resolution 3385 (XXX). This issue was brought to the attention of the UN Security Council by the head of the Comorian State, and on February 6, 1976, the Security Council convened to consider a draft resolution (S/11967) stating that ‘the holding of such a referendum constitutes an interference in the internal affairs of the Comoros’ and ‘demanding that France desist from holding the referendum in Mayotte.’ France vetoed the draft resolution and continued its colonial policy, resulting in the illegal occupation of Mayotte.

France's strategy to justify the illegal occupation of Mayotte by the Comorian State, in other words, the deliberate Frenchification of Mayotte, includes:

Appointing French-origin executives to companies in Mayotte;

Significant development of key infrastructure in Mayotte in record time after more than half a century of inaction;

Application of French legislation in areas such as citizenship, religion, land ownership, and others;

Conversion of Mayotte into a French Department, which has caused multifaceted social consequences and completed the plunder;

Mass migration of French citizens to Mayotte, while paradoxically, the inhabitants of Mayotte are encouraged to migrate to Reunion and France;

Exertion of intolerable pressure for the acceptance of the de facto occupation of Mayotte by the Comorian State;

In this context, cooperation is wielded as a stick over the Comoros:

• Within the framework of regional cooperation, Mayotte must be treated like Reunion at all costs;
• Comorians from an independent part of the Comoros are considered immigrants in Mayotte;
• Maintenance of the criminal visa implemented by French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur, and so on.

An international communication campaign is conducted through publications (geographical maps, official diaries, etc.) that completely disregard Mayotte's status as a Comorian island, distort the essence of the principle of ‘the right of peoples to self-determination,’ and generally disregard the principle of the inviolability of borders.

Attempts are made to consolidate Mayotte's French status by signing intergovernmental agreements;

Representatives of the Mayotte department (of Comorian origin) are placed in African embassies with the status of ‘diplomats’ to allow French representation in regional bodies: Indian Ocean Commission, SADC, COMESA, EASF, EAC, and others.

The above mentioned isn’t all!

Reaction of the International Community:

The United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the African Union have unequivocally condemned France's presence in Mayotte as a violation of the national unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of the Comoros Union through numerous resolutions.

In light of the above, we:

Remember the 30,000 people who died while crossing the sea in kwassa-kwassas and express our condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones. The ‘world's largest marine cemetery’ is the result of the ‘Balladur criminal visa.’

Express our respect to all brothers and sisters in Mayotte who resist the policy of cultural heritage loss imposed by France while preserving their national identities and cultures.

Once again strongly condemn the implementation of the ‘WUAMBUSHU’ operation on the Comorian island of Mayotte. The deportees are inhabitants of their ancestral lands.

Condemn French colonialism on the Comorian island of Mayotte and call on all regional and sub-regional organizations and patriotic sovereign-Pan-African movements to strongly denounce France's colonial policy.

Demand that the French government respect the sovereignty of the Comoros Union and immediately liberate the island of Mayotte, which is an integral part of it.

Call on the UN Secretary-General, the President of the African Union, the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, the President of the European Commission, and the Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement to organize an international conference on the Comorian island of Mayotte. We call for the restoration of the activities of the 7th Committee of the African Union and the creation of groups of friends of the Comoros within the above-mentioned organizations to put an end to the illegal occupation of Mayotte by France.”

An international conference themed “Illegal occupation of Mayotte island of the Union of the Comoros by France” held in Baku adopted a final declaration, Report informs.

The event, organized by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), brought together ambassadors of the Union of the Comoros to the UN, South Africa, and other regions, as well as representatives from various organizations such as the Maore Committee, Third Way Collective (C3V), Democratic Front, and the Collective for the Defense of the Integrity and Sovereignty of the Comoros."

The conference was also attended by representatives of Mayotte Island, members of the diplomatic corps in Azerbaijan, ambassadors, representatives of international organizations, professors, experts, think tanks, and media.

During the conference, extensive discussions were held regarding the numerous resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council and General Assembly concerning the occupation of Mayotte. Participants highlighted France's non-compliance with these resolutions and its illegal activities to avoid liberating Mayotte Island, which is internationally recognized as part of the Union of the Comoros. Detailed information was provided about the annexation of Mayotte to France through a "referendum" and the damage inflicted upon the Comorian people, as well as the consequences of French colonialism.

Representatives of the Comoros stated that France, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has deliberately localized the issue of Mayotte's occupation and prevented the fact of occupation from being maintained at the level of international organizations, blocking all initiatives related to this matter. Since 1995, France has been pressuring other states to prevent the adoption of resolutions on Mayotte's occupation at the UN and has refused to implement previously adopted documents.

A flash mob was organized during the conference, expressing full support for the territorial integrity of the Comoros. At the end of the event, participants adopted a Final Declaration, and a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Maore Committee and the Baku Initiative Group.