By John Eligon and Julie Bourdin
Following a brutal cyclone last month that destroyed slum settlements inhabited by numerous immigrants on the French island territory of Mayotte, Safina Soula remained dry-eyed.
As the head of an advocacy group for Mayotte residents, Soula firmly endorsed a campaign initiated by French authorities last year aimed at demolishing these slums and deporting undocumented immigrants, primarily from the nearby Comoros islands.
She referred to the cyclone as “a divine Wuambushu” — borrowing the term from the slum clearance initiative — and remarked, “Now the state must act swiftly and prevent the rebuilding of these shantytowns.”
Cyclone Chido wreaked havoc on Dec. 14, claiming at least 39 lives and exacerbating already tense sentiments regarding immigration in Mayotte, positioned off the eastern coast of Africa. In the wake of the calamity, France’s Interior Ministry reported that roughly a third of Mayotte’s 320,000 inhabitants were residing in the country unlawfully. Residents are urging the government to intensify efforts for their deportation.
For a long time, many Mahorais have accused immigrants of engaging in criminal activities and overburdening resources. With nearly 80% of its population living in poverty, Mayotte ranks as the most impoverished region in France.
The inhabitants of Mayotte and Comoros share a common heritage. However, during a pivotal referendum in 1974, Mayotte was the sole region of the Comoros archipelago to vote in favor of remaining a part of France.
In recent years, Mayotte locals have vandalized immigrant housing and obstructed access to hospitals and immigration offices to prevent immigrants from getting in. Mahorais have displayed significant support for far-right, nationalist politicians advocating for stricter immigration regulations specific to Mayotte, including the abolition of birthright citizenship for children born to non-French parents on the islands.
After the cyclone, Bruno Retailleau, France’s interior minister, expressed in a televised interview that France must adopt a more assertive approach to illegal immigration, aligning it with reconstruction efforts. He proposed utilizing drones to monitor and intercept boats transporting migrants unlawfully from Comoros, accusing the Comorian government of “pushing populations toward Mayotte to establish a form of illegal occupation.”
Last week, the French administration revealed plans to reinstate ferry services between Mayotte and Comoros, allowing Comorians to use it to return home at no charge.
On Tuesday, France’s prime minister, François Bayrou, indicated his expectation that the official death count from the cyclone would remain in the dozens, even though he had earlier stated that there could have been hundreds, if not thousands, of casualties while touring the destroyed shantytowns.
Migrants in Mayotte have previously described their existence as precarious long before the cyclone struck. They report frequent police encounters. Numerous deportations have been faced repeatedly; after being sent back, they undertake a perilous 43-mile boat journey from Comoros to reunite with their families in Mayotte.
Residents and even a high-ranking government official expressed concerns that conflicts might erupt between migrants and Mayotte natives over the diminished resources of the island chain after the cyclone devastated several communities.
Sylvie Zein, 37, a physician from mainland France, recounted that a few days post-storm, she was near a mosque in the village of Mtsamboro, in northern Mayotte, when the sight of approximately 20 immigrants standing by the beach with machetes alarmed residents. The village leader made an announcement over a loudspeaker, “Return to your
