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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

COMOROS: Troops open fire on protest march

JOHANNESBURG, 27 November 2003 (IRIN) - Political tension simmering between leaders in Comoros came to a head on Wednesday when government troops reportedly opened fire on a group of demonstrators protesting the policies of the country's president, Azali Assoumani.

President of Grande-Comore island, Abdou Soule Elbak, who led the march through the main street of the capital, Moroni told said at least 15 people were injured during scuffles with soldiers.

He told IRIN: "There was absoloutly no provocation from the marchers. We were only exercising our democratic right to protest against policies which we feel are detrimental to our country. The reaction of the army is unjustifiable. Four of those injured are now in critical condition in hospital."

Since the devolution process last year, in which the islands of Moheli, Anjouan and Grande Comore were granted their own local presidents, tensions have heightened between Elbak and Assoumani over how the separation of powers between the local presidents and the Union president would work.

Overall, Assoumani's Union government controls defence, finance and the archipelago's security apparatus.

Elbak accused Assoumani of reneging on previous agreements aimed at resolving the dispute. "As long as he [Assoumani] refuses to respect agreements, the country will continue to suffer. The economy has been affected by all of this and poverty is getting worse," he said.

A recent draft agreement negotiated under the auspices of the African Union, was supposed to have ended months of political deadlock.

But Comoros charge d'affaires in South Africa, Bacar Salim, told IRIN that while the agreement had been signed by all of the leaders it had not been implemented as yet.

"It takes time to put into place all of the mechanisms agreed upon in Pretoria. But this latest incident is certainly not good for stability in the country. It undermines the agreement and economic interest the foreign community may have in the country," he told IRIN.

Under the provisions of the draft document, the Union will maintain control over the country's army, but the police will be administered by local presidents.

To resolve the dispute over tax collection, a provisional customs council was expected to be set up to facilitate the fair distribution of revenue among the three islands.

Parliamentary elections set for March were indefinitely postponed due to the disagreements.

IRIN was unable to reach Assoumani's office in Moroni.

Themes: (IRIN) Conflict, (IRIN) Governance

[ENDS]

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