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The operation to dismantle a slum in Mayotte was suspended by the Mamoudzou court on Tuesday 25 April. If on the side of the inhabitants this decision is celebrated, some local elected officials regret it.
Law enforcement, vehicles and helicopters were ready early, Tuesday, April 25, to launch the first slum evacuation in Mayotte. This operation was finally suspended at the last minute by a decision of the Mamoudzou court. This relieves the dozens of settled families. They want to stay in their makeshift habitat at all costs. “I’m very happy, very happy. I even cried. I was hoping so much that this decision would be made”says a woman.
“Restore order in Mayotte”
The Mamoudzou court considered that the operation jeopardized the security of housing adjoining the slum. This decision is regretted by many local elected officials in favor of the police operation. “We really have a bitter taste. […] We are really counting on our French state so that we can restore order in Mayotte”, says Zamimou Ahamadi, departmental councilor. Tension remains high on the island, where new clashes and damage have taken place. For the French authorities, the management of deportations to the Comoros is another hot topic.