In Mayotte, a fifth week of blockade begins despite Gérald Darmanin’s announcements, followed by the decision of the movement’s leaders to temporarily lift the blockades. At issue: the sentencing of two roadblock workers to four years in prison for having organized the attack on a gendarmerie, but also the fight against insecurity.
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With our special correspondent in Mayotte, Lola Fourmy
This Sunday, February 18, a white march took place in Tsingoni, Mayotte, in memory of a father, active on the dams, killed last week at his home. The alleged murderer was arrested, but he is believed to be suffering from psychiatric disorders. “ I didn’t come for the walk. I came to support the family because I knew the young man. It was to say: enough is enough. In the morning, you get up, you have to take your child to school, you no longer know if you are going to get to school with your child or not, can you imagine that in a mainland department? », denounces Abdallah, roadblock operator, who intends to continue to mobilize. “ It’s not to annoy people or to prevent anyone, it’s to show that we all suffer “, he says.
“ We want our State to find solutions for us »
But for others, blocking is not the right decision. Forced to walk past the Passamainty dam, Guillaume deplores the blockages. “ Blocking the roads is no use. Let’s let people live, so that we can move around, go to work and find our ends of bread. And I ask you, my dear compatriots, to lift these roadblocks, it is useless, it is we who are losing “, he declares.
And in particular the traders, like here at the small port, where Ali is a fisherman. The latter lost most of its customers. “ Honestly, it’s so difficult, because everything is blocked, we can’t work at all. People can’t come and buy things at all. So, we want our State to find solutions for us since it’s really horrible », hopes Ali. Like others, he therefore calls for a rapid reaction from the authorities or from the demonstrators.
Read alsoHow Mayotte became an exceptional territory in France for foreigners’ rights