In Mayotte, a “dead island” operation to denounce insecurity

In Mayotte a dead island operation to denounce insecurity

Thursday, September 15, a paralysis operation, with the closure of schools and administrations, began in Mayotte, at the call of elected officials. Their objective: to denounce the prevailing insecurity. This archipelago in the Indian Ocean is one of the poorest territories in France and where the feeling of insecurity is among the highest in the country.

Schools and administrations in Mayotte are closed until further notice. The archipelago and its 270,000 inhabitants have been living in slow motion since the start of the unprecedented demonstration which began on Thursday September 15, and is expected to continue. School bus service is no longer guaranteed, the hospital center is closed and the white plan is triggered on the island.

It is the elected officials of Mayotte who are at the origin of this “dead island” operation. It is, for them, a way of protesting against the wave of violence described as unprecedented which is affecting the island. Less than a month after the visit of the Minister of the Interior, Gérald DarmaninMayotte has had very difficult last days: clashes between rival gangs, attacks by the police, roadblocks…

In a press release, the mayors and parliamentarians ask that structural solutions be found so that peace and security return. For his part, the prefect of Mayotte, Thierry Suquet, says he understands the exasperation of the population but calls not to leave the street to delinquents.

During his visit, Gérald Darmanin had announced the arrival of a fourth squadron of mobile gendarmes. According to INSEE figures, one inhabitant in two feels insecure in Mayotte, six times more than in the French metropolis.

► To read also: France: the department of Mayotte eaten away by illegal immigration

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