VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAN #0088/01 0400604
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090604Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2049
INFO RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0025
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0003
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0001

UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 000088 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/PDPA 
DEPT FOR NEA AND EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID ECON CN
SUBJECT: Comoran Students Look Abroad For Opportunity 
 
¶1. (U)  SUMMARY:  Comoran education and foreign ministry officials 
express growing concern about the trend in Comoran students going 
abroad far and wide seeking educational opportunities.  Thousands of 
Comorans study in more than 30 countries, some with scholarships, 
some self-financed and most obtaining legitimate educations. 
However, our Comoran contacts report a trend toward more Comoran 
students being exposed to "radical influences" at some destinations. 
 Foreign Minister Jaffar bemoans the "lack of information and 
control" of where these students go and "what becomes of them."  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U)  Minister of Education Afritaine and Foreign Minister Jaffar 
have often expressed to EmbOffs their frustration at lack of 
information and "control" of the thousands of Comorans studying 
abroad.  They express their interest in matching returning students 
to job opportunities back home in the Comoros, but also note that 
some students are exposed to "radical influences."  Some of these 
return to the Comoros and others join Islamist terror organizations; 
the most extreme example is Comoran-born Harun Fazul, the al-Qaeda 
mastermind suspected of being behind the 1998 bombings of U.S. 
Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.  The Grand Mufti, 
government-appointed guardian of Muslim values, shares the concern 
of many Comoran Imams and elders about the ideas expressed by some 
Comorans returning from abroad.  The Mufti told Comoros Officer, "we 
are ashamed of Harun Fazul and disown him.  We must also work with 
friends like the Americans to preserve the Comoros' peaceful and 
open-minded Islam against extremism."  The Mufti, well-respected 
among Comorans but with diminished stature since President Sambi 
came to office in 2006, criticized the president for his ties to 
Iran and "shi'ism," both of which he said were inconsistent with 
Comoran traditions. 
 
¶3. (U)  Foreign Ministry Cultural Affairs Director Moutawal shared 
with Comoros Officer the limited reliable data he had on Comoran 
students studying abroad: 
 
-- An unknown thousands of French-nationality Comorans study in 
France, where some 200,000 persons of Comoran origin reside, 
primarily in Marseilles and Paris.  Comoran officials report that 
Comoran-passport holders have received few scholarships in the last 
decade and even have difficulty obtaining visas for self-financed 
study; 
 
-- Egypt pays for 15 Comoran students per year, but about 1,000 
Comorans study in Cairo where there is a sizeable Comoran community. 
 Many GOC officials, and the Embassy's one FSN, studied English, 
Arabic, and other disciplines at Egytian institutions; 
 
-- Morocco pays each year for 40 Comoran students to study there, 
but a total of some 800 Comorans are believed to be studying there, 
including former President Azali's son; 
 
-- Tunisia pays for 15 Comoran students each year; 
 
-- Some 200 self-financed Comorans study in Syria; 
 
-- Libya pays for 30 Comoran students to study there; 
 
--  Sudan offers Comorans 25 scholarships each year; 
 
--  Algeria pays for 20 Comoran students each year; 
 
--  In recent years, a growing number (perhaps 100) of 
English-speaking Comoran students have found affordable educational 
opportunities in Tanzania and Kenya; 
 
--  Iran has reportedly promised President Sambi dozens of 
scholarships for Comorans, but there is no confirmation these have 
been realized; 
 
--  Comoran students are also known to be studying in Guinea, 
Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Mali, Gabon, Congo/B, Bangladesh, India, and 
South Africa. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Moutawal manages scholarship programs provided by host 
governments, but does not have good information on private grants 
and loans, nor about self-financed students who do not register at 
the Ministry or obtain a proper exit visa.  His counterpart at the 
University of the Comoros is International Relations Director 
Youssouff, who also tries to track where Comorans go abroad to 
study.  He emphasized the important role of the University of the 
Comoros in offering young Comorans opportunities to study at home. 
Youssoff echoed the regret expressed by other Comoran leaders that 
with few scholarships to France or the United States, Comorans 
pursue "dubious" opportunities in other countries.  He acknowledged 
many of the programs in countries above are legitimate and positive 
for Comoran participants; but not all of them. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Both Moutawal and Youssouff shared anecdotes of Comoran 
students exposed to radical elements during their studies abroad. 
Some return to the Comoros, keep a low profile and try to build a 
following preaching a more radical doctrine than Comoros' 
traditionally moderate Sunnism.  They also fear the "next Harun 
Fazul," an impressionable young Comoran betraying his peaceful and 
moderate country by joining international terrorism. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  One returned Comoran student, now working in a hotel, 
approached EmbOffs to share perhaps a common story.  Soifine Said 
told us he received a scholarship from a Saudi charity to study in 
Malaysia at an international Islamic university.  He was expelled, 
he said, for a relationship he had with an African female classmate. 
 Soifine said strict conservative Islam was taught at the 
institution and after hours students were exposed to radical ideas. 
(COMMENT:  Soifine's story seems to reflect other Comoran students 
experiences, though clearly he is biased based on his dismissal, 
whether or not it was fair.  END COMMENT.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) Former President Azali, perhaps the first Comoran leader to 
acknowledge the problem posed by impressionable young Muslim 
Comorans studying abroad, established the University of the Comoros 
in 2005.  Some 5,000 students per year study in three-year degree 
programs including  humanities, education, tourism management, and 
Islamic studies.  Every July 5, the day before Comoran National Day, 
Azali addresses all University students to encourage them to 
contribute to the future of their country.  Soon a fourth year of 
studies will be added for some majors, allowing graduates to more 
easily matriculate to graduate programs, like Fulbright Fellowships. 
 Currently one Comoran scholar is studying on a Fulbright grant and 
in 2008 a professor returned to the Comoros after completing a 
Humphrey program in English education.  To complement the Embassy's 
training program for primary school teachers, we are actively 
recruiting Comoran Fulbright and Humphrey candidates.  During 
September, 2008, meetings at the Department, FM Jaffar and Comoran 
Ambassador to the United States Toihiri raised the issue of 
scholarships for Comoran students. 
 
MARQUARDT