VZCZCXRO4319
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHAN #0816 2320504
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 200504Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0217
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000816 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/E, DRL 
DEPT FOR CA/OCS/ACS/AF 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/DSS/ITA 
PARIS FOR D'ELIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC SCUL CASC CN
SUBJECT:  CATHOLIC HOSPITAL IN COMOROS ATTACKED 
¶1.  In what appears to be a religiously motivated attack, unknown 
actors set off a petrol-bomb in a dispensary run by the Catholic 
relief agency Caritas in the village of Mbeni on the northeastern 
side of Grande Comore late August 12.  No one was injured, but 
 
material damages included four burned mattresses.  Father Philipe 
Iruru of Caritas had recently received an unsigned leaflet written 
in French that spoke of "the duty imposed by our religion to fight 
Christianity in the Muslim world."  The tract continued, "The 
arrival of Christians in the region and in the country cannot and 
will never satisfy our religious passions. They should leave soon 
without thinking of returning." 
¶2.  The wife of the American Citizen warden living on Grande Comore, 
who works with a Christian humanitarian organization, assured Post 
their group has received no threats or hate mail.  They live and 
work on the southern side of the island and are not concerned. 
Police contacts are unaware of any hate-mail or threats directed at 
other NGO's or directly at Americans. 
 
¶3. COMMENT:  This was a rare and troubling act of religiously 
motivated violence in a normally peaceful place.  Over 98 percent of 
the Comoros' citizens are Sunni Muslims, but inter-faith 
relationships are generally courteous throughout the three islands. 
The Government of the Comoros has repeatedly rejected radicalism and 
professed moderate Islam.  Still, Mbeni is known to be a religiously 
conservative village with a troublesome past.  During the Gulf War, 
a local group threatened to kill Americans found in the area.  In 
this case, however, Caritas staff members are Tanzanian and Polish. 
Post will monitor further developments.  END COMMENT. 
MARQUARDT