Racial Violence In Mayotte

The nationalist websites have been talking for several days about the island of Mayotte, a French overseas territorial collectivity off the coast of Madagscar. According to Wikipedia, on March 25, 2008, the island of Anjouan that lies north of Mayotte was the scene of an invasion led by Comoros and backed by African Union forces including troops from Sudan, Tanzania, Senegal and logistical support from Libya and France. The objective of the invasion was to topple Mohamed Bacar's leadership in Anjouan, since Bacar adheres to a policy of separation from the Union of the Comoros. (Even though Anjouan belongs to the Union, Bacar wants to secede.)

Bacar had first been elected president of Anjouan in 2001. When his term ended, Comoros attempted to install a president of their own, but in the end, Bacar, in defiance of the African Union, printed ballots and held an election in June, claiming a landslide victory of 90%.

In February 2008 Comoros rejected the African Union's extended sanctions against Anjouan and instead opted for a military solution. About 450 troops landed at dawn March 25, taking the airport and entering the main town, Mutsamudu, sparking fierce fighting. The first shots were heard around 5 a.m. on the island, in the town of Ouani, near the airport and the presidential residence. On the 25th, journalists reported that the invaders had "struggled to progress further under the automatic fire of Anjouan forces" and in the afternoon "clashes with heavy artillery continued to shake the town of Ouani. "The army was reportedly looking for Bacar's hiding place. Contrary to previous reports that France was against the invasion, France has given its approval and helped to air-lift the AU troops to the island.

It was reported on March 25 that Mohamed Bacar had fled Anjouan incognito, seeking exile in Mayotte.

There is much more in the Wikipedia article linked above, but the main issue for the French nationalists is the racial violence that erupted on Mayotte when word got out that Bacar was in hiding there. The violence was perpetrated by Anjouanese living illegally on Mayotte, and directed at white inhabitants.

A website called Clicanoo has a report on the events:

Word that Colonel Mohamed Bacar was in Mayotte spread like wildfire and from early morning several hundred Anjouanese illegals converged (...) on the detention center of the capital Mamoudzou where, they thought, the former strongman of Anjouan was hiding. Tension rose when the authorities decided to stop the traffic of barges. As the situation degenerated gendarmes arrived throwing tear gas bombs, while the rioters hurled rocks. Around 8:30 the rioters blocked the national highway, then suddenly, the "m'zungus" (whites) became targets. A young woman on a motorbike was beaten by a horde of agitated adolescents and had to he helped by Mahorans. Her bike was burned.

The spiral of violence reached the center of town when rioters turned cars driven by whites upside down and stoned them. A businessman who witnessed the deeds committed to vehicles and to people said, "It's open season on whites." Near Café Caribou several persons were violently attacked. In Cavani where a heavy foreign population is centered small groups of rioters armed with shovel handles, sabers, and iron bars systematically assaulted any white person who happened to be in reach. Dozens of people took refuge in the "bangas" of the Mahorans. The schools closed. Businesses pulled down the shades, while workers were trapped inside their offices. (...) By the end of the afternoon the roads leading to the city were still blocked, there was almost no traffic, all the stores were closed (...) one person was thought to have been killed and no one knew the number of wounded.

According to unofficial sources difficult to verify, but corroborated by witnesses, one policeman was killed, an Anjouanese man was decapitated during the pro- and anti-Bacar confrontations. A young Mahoran man trying to protect a young French woman about to be kidnapped by the Anjouanese invaders had his arm cut off by a machete. About 15 whites were reported kidnapped, often for ransom. It seems that the situation is getting worse: groups of Mahorais are roaming the streets giving the Anjouanese until Sunday to leave their island, or to get ready for a blood bath...