Turkish political analyst: France far from solving Mayotte's problems Acting in spirit of colonial power  

Political analyst writing for Independent Türkçe Sare Şanlı has noted that the French government is attempting to conceal the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Shido, which struck the island of Mayotte, a disputed territory between France and the Comoros. 

In her article titled "A Tragedy Hidden by Colonial Attitudes... Macron’s Visit to Mayotte: Be Grateful You Are Part of France," the author highlights that the hurricane, which hit the poorest of France's colonies, has devastated the already fragile infrastructure of Mayotte, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

"Although more than two weeks have passed since the natural disaster, the exact number of victims has not been disclosed yet. French officials are attempting to downplay the scale of the tragedy, limiting their statements to the claim that 31 island residents have died. However, the fact remains that Mayotte is home to a big number of migrants. Furthermore, some bodies were hastily buried, suggesting that the true death toll could be in the thousands," the article says.

The Turkish political analyst emphasises that Mayotte is just one of France's overseas territories that has recently been discussed in the context of natural disasters and protests. 

"French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited Mayotte after the hurricane, was met by an angry crowd. Island residents jeered at the French leader, condemning the government's response to the crisis and demanding Macron's resignation. 'I am not a hurricane! I am not responsible for what happened,' Macron defended himself, urging the people of Mayotte to 'be grateful for being part of France.' 'Without France, your situation would be 10,000 times worse,' the politician claimed.

However, he did not mention that the victims of Hurricane Shido had gone for many days without receiving medical assistance, and most of the island’s residents had no access to drinking water, while humanitarian aid was delivered to Mayotte a week later. 

"Macron's actions demonstrated that France is far from resolving the issues facing Mayotte's residents, acting purely in the manner of a colonizing nation. The French leader attempted to present the inequality and poverty of the island's inhabitants as normal and natural," Şanlı wrote, noting that even today, Mayotte’s population lacks proper access to water and electricity. 

Furthermore, Paris' so-called aid policy does not solve these issues but merely postpones the crisis for a later time. 

The author draws attention to statistical data showing that 40 per cent of Mayotte's 320,000 residents earn less than 200 euros per month, while the minimum wage in mainland France is set at 1,400 euros a month. 

"On average, four out of ten homes on Mayotte are made of plywood and metal sheets. In three out of ten homes, there is no access to water," the Turkish political analyst wrote, reminding readers that the unemployment rate on the island in 2022 was 34 per cent. 

"The people of Mayotte are tired of being second-class French citizens. Amid the declining influence of France in Africa, the island’s residents must learn from the struggle against colonialism and fight for their right to a dignified life," the author wrote.

By Naila Huseynova