SUMMARY
The secessionist conflict on Anjouan followed a centralisation of power by the government of Comoros, resulting in a decreased autonomy for Anjouan. In response to this development, the MPA/Republic of Anjouan (Mouvement populaire anjouanais/Republic of Anjouan; Anjouan People’s Movement/Republic of Anjouan) declared independence, leading to an armed confrontation in September 1997. The incompatibility was eventually addressed through a series of agreements, transforming the political system of Comoros.
IN DEPTH
Background to the conflict and the emergence of MPA/Republic of Anjouan
In 1996, Mohamed Taki was elected president of the Comoros. He quickly adopted a new constitution, which strengthened his own position and centralised the countrys political structure. The latter meant that the autonomy of the two smaller islands - Moheli and Anjouan - was severely eroded. This fact, in combination with the widespread perception that a disproportionate share of government spending was allocated to the main island, Grande-Comoro, spurred violent protests. Tension began to mount on Anjouan in early 1997, when large and oftentimes violent demonstrations, demanding wage arrears and protesting against the policies of President Taki, became increasingly common.
Even though the demonstrations were chiefly organised by different separatist organisations, and the demonstrators were commonly referred to as separatists, no explicit separatist demands were initially made. However, in July the tension rose even further and anonymous pamphlets were circulated demanding autonomy and calling on the people to prepare for a guerrilla war. On 3 August the leader of the separatist organisation MPA/Republic of Anjouan (Mouvement populaire anjouanais/Republic of Anjouan; Anjouan People’s Movement/Republic of Anjouan, in the text below referred to as MPA), Abdallah Ibrahim, unilaterally declared the island independent from Grande-Comore. He was calling for both independence and re-colonisation by France, as the movements aim was either to return to French rule or to become an independent microstate in association with France.
Information on MPA is very limited. It is, however, known that up until 1997, three separatist movements coexisted on Anjouan: Organisation pour lindependence dAnjouan (OPIA), Movement pour la separation dAnjouan (MSA) and Mouvement populaire anjouanaise (MPA). During the spring of 1997 these organisations grew closer, subsequently all adopting the name MPA. It is unclear whether MPA transformed into an umbrella organisation that grouped together the different separatist groups, or if it in fact became a completely new organisation, formed by a merger of several groups. In any case, at the time of the onset of the armed conflict, MPA constituted the principal separatist movement on Anjouan.
Secession, armed conflict, and negotiated settlement
In August 1997, the leader of MPA/Republic of Anjouan (Mouvement populaire anjouanais/Republic of Anjouan; Anjouan People’s Movement/Republic of Anjouan), Abdullah Ibrahim, was elected President of the "politico-administrative coordination body of the state of Anjouan". A 13-member Cabinet was also elected. On 26 October the same year a referendum was held on the secession issue on Anjouan and 99% of the electorate voted in favour of independence. After this decisive ‘yes’-vote, a provisional government replaced the temporary 5 August government.
On 3 September 1997, one month after MPA’s declaration of independence, between 200 and 300 Comoran troops landed on Anjouan to subdue the independence movement. During the following two days they met fierce resistance from the separatists and it was reported from several sources that by 5 September between 30 and 40 soldiers and "scores of civilians" had been killed. By 6 September, the Comorian army had been defeated and fighting had ceased. As no fighting exceeding the 25 battle-related deaths threshold has taken place in the conflict since 1997, the conflict is considered terminated as of this date.
Realizing that there was no possibility of a military victory, the Comorian government resorted to other instruments - like economic sanctions - to attempt to subdue the Anjouan separatists. Meanwhile, the government established on Anjouan came to suffer severe internal splits during the following years. A number of rival factions appeared, and heavy clashes between armed militias took place on the island. There were also a number of attempted coups, of which one was successful. In spite of this internal division, the separatist administration remained opposed to reunification with Grande-Comore and Moheli. Meanwhile, the government of Comoros refused to accept the separatists declaration of independence.
Over the years sporadic negotiation attempts were made, in most cases led by the OAU, but not until August 2000 did the parties manage to conclude an accord that both agreed to sign. However, neither the OAU nor the opposition parties on Anjouan and Grande-Comore were satisfied with this accord (the Famboni Declaration), and negotiations continued.
On 17 February the following year, the Famboni II Agreement was concluded, bringing on board the opposition, the OAU and other important interested parties. The agreement paved the way for constitutional reform and the creation of a federal system, enabling greater autonomy for Anjouan and Moheli. Following a turbulent implementation period that saw a number of coup attempts on the islands, the new constitution was approved by referendum in December 2001. Renewed controversy soon broke out over the division of power and revenues between the federal and local administrations, but following several rounds of negotiations under the auspices of the African Union (AU), a new agreement (the Agreement on the transitional arrangements in the Comoros) was finally reached in December 2003, enabling legislative and presidential elections in 2004 and 2006, respectively, affirming the new political system.
