The Union government of the Comoros Islands has dismissed as unfounded allegations that Anjouanese lack confidence in its leadership abilities to resolve the ongoing political impasse with embattled President Mohamed Bacar. It is reported that Anjouanese are leaving in droves to neighboring islands for fear of an all out invasion by forces belonging to the union government to throw Bacar out of office. But the union government denied the reports by saying President Bacar should be blamed for the unrest in that island.
Idi Nidhom is the Vice President of the union government of the Comoros Islands. From the capital Moroni he tells reporter Peter Clottey that Anjouanese President Bacar is to blame for persecuting his opponents.
“What we have noticed these days, since early November is that lots of the population of Anjouan were leaving to Moheli, the nearest island from Anjouan in masses. And due to the smallness of the Island of Moheli, now they are moving to Grande Comoros. We have plenty of them in Moroni and the surrounding areas of Moroni. UNICEF, UNDP as well as the union government are very concerned of this situation because they are coming by the hundreds if not by the thousands,” Nidhom pointed out.
He said the Anjouanese are leaving in droves because of the mistreatment being meted out to them by their embattled president.
“They are leaving because of fear. Mohamed Bacar is imprisoning a lot of the supporters of Sambi (Comoros Islands President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi), and not only supporters, but of those who are against his regime, his rebellion. He is firing them from their jobs, putting some of them in jail and treating badly a lot of them. This is why they are leaving,” he said.
Nidhom denies the people of Anjouan lack confidence in the leadership qualities of the union government.
“If you say they have no confidence in the union that is not true. That cannot be true. President Sambi has a lot of support in Anjouan. If not Mohamed Bacar wouldn’t be so afraid of any invasion or military intervention with the support of the population. This is the case,” Nidhom noted.
He expressed confidence a solution would be found to the political impasse between the union government and Anjouan’s embattled President Mohamed Bacar.
“Yes of course. You know because the options are not too many. Either the African Union solves the problem or the union government of the Comoros do a military intervention. Now the union government is waiting for the Africa union to say look we don’t see any solution, then you have to move in. that is the only option left to us,” he opined.
Nidhom said there would be tougher sanctions against President Bacar’s government in due course.
“For the time being, we are in the process with the African Union, to solve this problem. Sanctions have been taken, and an embargo has to be taken very soon. And if all these measures fail, then what would be left? We would have no choice if not a military intervention in Anjouan. And we can do it,” Nidhom stressed.