migrant aid associations targeted

A new prefect arrives on Saturday February 24 in Mayotte: François-Xavier Bieuville replaces Thierry Suquet. The new state representative will face an always explosive situation: rationed water, blockades of citizen groups protesting against illegal immigration and insecurity, and for several weeks, threats against humanitarian workers. A situation that was not enough to calm down the announcement of the future suspension of land rights on the island.

Association premises padlocked and made inaccessible, activists threatened who must give up helping migrants… A new milestone has been reached in recent weeks in Mayotte, notably around a football stadium in Kavani, in the suburbs of Mamoudzou, where hundreds of migrants from the Great Lakes region of mainland Africa have found refuge.

“No one called for violence”

The citizen collective of Forces vives, at the origin of a dozen blockades against illegal immigration and insecurity, denies being at the origin of these actions. “No one, including myself, called for violence against these associations, no one threatened them, says Saïd Kambi, spokesperson for the collective. But we ask ourselves the question: are these associations there to promote illegal immigration or to help those who are in vulnerable situations? Among the migrants, there are people who are threatened in their country. France is a land of asylum.”

“We are no longer able to welcome people. Obviously, when there are few resources and too many people, there is violence.”

Said Kambi

at franceinfo

Among the associations that help migrants, none responded to our interview requests. One of them told AFP that she would not speak out in this tense context, for fear of reprisals.