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O 031129Z MAY 07
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000431 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ADDIS FOR USAU AMBASSADOR COURVILLE 
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF/E CKOLLMAR 
PARIS FOR D'ELIA 
PRETORIA FOR POLOFF TRENKLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PBTS MASS ASEC CASC CN
SUBJECT: COMORAN PRESIDENT SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: ANTANANARIVO 425 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1. Post received the following letter to President George W. 
Bush from His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, 
the President of the Union of the Comoros, via facsimile on 
May 2, 2314 local time.  A copy of the letter is being faxed 
and emailed to AF/E Desk Officer Maria Beyzerov. 
 
¶2. BEGIN TEXT: 
 
UNION OF THE COMOROS 
Unity-Solidarity-Development 
---------------------------- 
 
The President 
Moroni, May 2, 2007 
No. 07-144/PR 
 
UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
 
Excellency Mr. President, 
 
The Autonomous Island of Anjouan is currently in a 
particularly tragic situation which is likely to jeopardize 
the unity and the integrity of the country. 
 
Indeed, the representations of the Union of the Comoros in 
the Island of Anjouan and most particularly the Presidency of 
the Union and the private residence of the Union President, 
in which are currently staying the First Lady of the country 
and her children have been assaulted since early this 
afternoon. 
 
The Militia of the former Head of the Executive of Anjouan, 
Colonel Mohamed Bacar, equipped with heavy weapons, is 
currently bombarding Mutsamudu, the capital of the Island of 
Anjouan, thus sowing terror within the population. 
 
These tragic events are the conclusion of the unhappy 
maneuvers that the former Executive of the Island Mohamed 
Bacar continues to orchestrate and I had the opportunity to 
inform the International Community accredited in my country a 
few days ago. 
 
Indeed, the Constitutional Court of the Comoros which has 
established the expiration of the mandate of the Executive of 
the Autonomous Island of Anjouan, Colonel Mohamed Bacar last 
April 14, 2007, requested the President of the Union of the 
Comoros, in his capacity as Arbitrator and Moderator of the 
regular functioning of the institutions, to take the 
necessary measures to ensure the continuity of national life 
and the activity of the institutional public powers. 
 
In this way, I have designated Mr. Houmadi Kaambi legitimate 
President of the Assembly of the Autonomous Island to 
temporarily carry out the functions of President of the 
Island pending the election of the Executive of the Island. 
 
However, Colonel Bacar continues to challenge the 
Constitution and the laws of the Island by refusing to leave 
power and by continuing to encourage acts of provocation 
against the Union authorities. 
 
As a consequence, the Autonomous Island of Anjouan is 
currently under siege and the population lives under terror 
under the rockets and shells that the militia of Colonel 
Mohamed Bacar is firing. 
 
It is in this particularly difficult context that I turn, 
once again, to Your Excellency to request you to kindly join 
the Comoran Government, to strongly condemn these tragic 
events, the sole objectives of which are to undermine the 
unity of the country, by preventing the conduct of the 
presidential elections scheduled to take place next June 10th 
and 24th, in transparency and democracy. 
 
I request, by the same occasion, the assistance of your 
brotherly country in view of allowing the Union Government to 
put an end to this escalation of violence in the Island of 
Anjouan, at the earliest possible opportunity, a violence 
 
ANTANANARI 00000431  002 OF 002 
 
 
without legal justification, which will not only result in 
irreparable casualties and material damage but which will 
also serve as an inspiration to wrongdoers in the other 
sister islands, thus putting the country in chaos. 
 
Civil peace and the stability of the country are highly 
threatened Excellency, as well as the process for national 
reconciliation for which the International Community and the 
Comoran people have fought for years. 
 
With the great hope that you will give a special and urgent 
attention to this request, please accept, Excellency Mr. 
President, the assurance of my highest and brotherly 
consideration. 
 
AHMED ABDALLAH MOHAMED SAMBI 
 
END TEXT. 
 
¶3. COMMENT:  Post notes that President Sambi's description of 
the Comoran predicament tracks closely with our own 
assessment of the situation (reftel).  Post will report any 
updates on the current situation in Anjouan as events 
warrant. END COMMENT. 
 
McGEE