The operation to fight illegal immigration and crime which is officially not one and which in Mayotte everyone, except the Ministry of the Interior, calls « Wuambushu » enters its second week with a mixed record.
“She is not at all stuck in this operation, quite the contrary”assured Monday on CNews the spokesperson for the ministry, Camille Chaize. “It started several weeks ago now, it will continue for long weeks, several months. »
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In 2019, the previous operation carried out in Mayotte against illegal immigration was codenamed « Shikandra »the dreaded lagoon triggerfish that defends its territory by biting swimmers.
TV slippage, judicial and diplomatic setbacks… the complicated start of the “Wuambushu” operation in Mayotte
For Wuambushu (« reprise » in shimaore, ” to dare “ for other linguists), no agent of the State pronounces the name which however makes the whole island rustle and arouses very strong expectations in the Mayotte population, exasperated by insecurity.
More than 1,800 police officers or gendarmes, including the famous CRS 8 which arrived in mid-April and detachments from the RAID or the GIGN, were mobilized during the day and especially at night this first week.
Under the effect of numbers and expertise, raids have multiplied in the red light districts of the island. The clashes between the police and young people there were, even for the standards of the island, unusually violent: ambushes, roadblocks, rocking and destruction of vehicles.
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The resistance of the “white jumpsuits”
Under the spotlight, young people have also, mirroring the forces of order, taken care of their communication by wearing for their « actions » white construction overalls in which they strut their stuff on social media.
The prefecture announced several crackdowns in these neighborhoods, including 14 arrests between Friday and Saturday.
Among these catches, one “well-identified leader and logistician of gangs of young delinquents”a 38-year-old illegal alien, police said.
In recent days, the riots have decreased in intensity. But the Mahoran population remains on the alert and ventures little outside during this school holiday period when most public and private events have been canceled.
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Operation “Wuambushu” in Mayotte: the Comoros limits reception to passengers with papers
An unusual torpor took hold of the archipelago with an estimated 350,000 inhabitants, usually padlocked by traffic jams and vibrant with people.
Most of the foreigners in an irregular situation have put themselves ” at the Green light “ in villages and mountains or live at home for fear of “to puff” (to be taken by the Border Police, the PAF).
Since Monday, a diplomatic standoff has been under way between Paris and the Comorian government, which claims sovereignty over Mayotte and has refused to let the « Maria Galanta »the ferry carrying dozens of deported Comorians daily.
“We are working hard with this government (de Moroni, editor’s note) to find solutions”assured Camille Chaize, insisting on the ” common interest “ of both countries.
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A high legal confrontation
In this imbroglio, the Mayotte administrative detention center (136 places) is ” completely full “ and foreigners checked in an irregular situation have for several days been receiving Obligations to leave French territory (OQTF) known as « free »without arrest, AFP learned from a police source.
The arrivals of makeshift migrant boats, « talk talk »have also dried up.
According to the Interior, no crossings were detected between April 22 and 30. On average, two boats are detected per day in these territorial waters.
“We may have to kill some”: the vice-president of the Mayotte departmental council slips live on TV
The deportations of people in an irregular situation have not been quantified by the prefecture, which nevertheless relayed the expulsion by plane of at least three Sri Lankan nationals and seven Malagasy.
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Mobilized via a platform of lawyers, human rights associations have multiplied actions and appeals against the State, in particular against the open-ended opening of ephemeral administrative detention centers that do not respect the usual rules in matter.
They especially obtained a victory by preventing in extremis last Tuesday the destruction and the evacuation of a slum of Koungou, « Talus 2 », where about a hundred families live. The prefect appealed this decision.
To date, no other “unpacking” slum or neighborhood is in an active phase in Mayotte.
For the Mahoran Citizens’ Collective, the main support body for Operation Wuambushu, this was “amputated from its two parts” on housing and the expulsion of foreigners.
“We wonder about the effectiveness of such a revision of the objectives”told AFP its manager, Fatihou Ibrahime, for whom “If nothing is done quickly to correct the situation, this operation could prove to be a danger to the lives of the Mahorais in addition to the unacceptable snub for the Republic”.
