MAMOUDZOU, Mayotte (AP) — Cyclone Chido not only devastated Mayotte’s fragile infrastructure but also exposed deep-seated tensions between the island’s residents and its large migrant population.
Thousands of people who entered the island illegally bore the brunt of the storm that ripped through the Indian Ocean archipelago. Authorities in Mayotte, France’s poorest area, say many are avoiding emergency shelters for fear of deportation, making them and the slums they live in even more vulnerable to the cyclone’s ravages.
Still, some frustrated legal residents have accused the government of funneling scarce resources to migrants at their expense.
Trusted news and daily treats, straight to your inbox
See for yourself: The Yodel is the source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.
“I can’t take it anymore. Just having water is complicated,” said Saturday Fatima, a 46-year-old mother of five whose family has struggled to find clean water since the storm.
Fatima, who gave only her first name because her family is known locally, added that “the island cannot support the people who live there, let alone bring more.”
Mayotte, a French department located between Madagascar and mainland Africa, has a population of 320,000, including an estimated 100,000 migrants, most of whom come from the nearby Comoros, just 70 kilometers away.
The archipelago’s fragile public services, designed for a much smaller population, have been overwhelmed.
“Mayotte’s problems cannot be solved without tackling illegal immigration,” French President Emmanuel Macron said during his visit this week, acknowledging the challenges posed by the island’s rapid population growth.
“Despite the state’s investments, migratory pressure has exploded everything,” he added.
The cyclone further exacerbated the island’s problems after destroying homes, schools and infrastructure.
While the official death toll still stands at 35, authorities say all estimates are likely to be grossly underestimated, with hundreds and possibly thousands of deaths feared. Meanwhile, the number of seriously injured people has risen to 78.
Migrant slums, known as ‘bangas’, have long been a problem in Mayotte.
“Can we solve the slum problem today? The answer is no. We will address it during the stabilization and reconstruction phase,” Macron said.
Most migrants have family ties in Mayotte and speak the same language. They seek a better life on the island instead of reaching the European continent.
For many, like Nazca Antoiy, a Comorean who has lived in Mayotte for a decade, the cyclone has fueled fears of displacement.
“I heard that people were told not to build new houses. So we have to worry about that,” she says.
These fears are not unfounded. Last year, France launched Operation Wuambushu, a controversial campaign to demolish slums and deport undocumented migrants. Macron hinted that similar policies could be resumed, but emphasized that reconstruction efforts would take priority.
Mayotte’s geopolitical position has long made the country a hotspot for migration. While the island voted to remain French in referendums in 1974 and 1976, neighboring Comoros has never recognized its sovereignty and continues to claim the archipelago as its own. This unresolved dispute has fueled waves of migration, with thousands of people risking the dangerous sea crossing every year.
Outgoing French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau recently reignited the debate, describing the situation in Mayotte as a “war” earlier this week. Retailleau proposed stricter measures, including the use of drones and naval patrols to block further arrivals. “We need to be much tougher on the Comoros,” he said, accusing the neighboring government of allowing migrants to leave the coast unhindered.
Retailleau’s calls to “change the rules” include proposals to restrict birthright rights in Mayotte, a policy that was already tightened in 2018 to require proof that at least one parent had lived legally in the country for more than three months. Critics argue that these measures only deepen Mayotte’s divisions without addressing the root causes of migration.
A 2023 parliamentary report cited in French media warned that the island was a “ticking time bomb” while suggesting that some of Mayotte’s migrant population be redistributed to mainland France – a proposal unlikely to gain widespread support will get.
___
Adamson reported from Paris
