Mohamed Bacar
1098893
225177042
2008-07-12T08:32:40Z
Everyking
44020
/* Removal from office */ rejection of extradition request
'''Colonel Mohamed Bacar''' (born [[May 5]], [[1962]] in [[Barakani]], [[Anjouan]]) was [[President of Anjouan]], one of the three autonomous islands that make up the Union of the [[Comoros]], from 2001 to 2008. He is a former chief of police on Anjouan and has studied extensively in [[France]] and the [[United States]]. He was part of a military coup on Anjouan in August 2001 and soon became President. It is alleged he rigged the elections to become the first president of Anjouan in [[March 2002]], in part due to his leading role in the separatist movement. He was ousted by the combined forces of the Comoran government and the [[African Union]] in the [[2008 invasion of Anjouan|March 2008 invasion of Anjouan]].
==Background==
==Presidency==
==Presidency disputed==
On [[April 26]], [[2007]], the country's Federal Constitutional Court proclaimed the Presidency of Anjouan vacant, declaring Bacar's period in office after his first term ended on [[April 14]] to be illegal. Two days later, Comorian [[President of Comoros|President]] [[Ahmed Abdallah Sambi]], with the support of the [[African Union]] (AU), appointed M. [[Dhoihirou Halidi]] as interim President of Anjouan. However, he was never allowed to take office and Bacar, in defiance of both the Union of Comoros government and the AU, independently organised a presidential election. The Union government withheld election material from Anjouan to try and prevent the poll from taking place, but Bacar printed his own ballot papers, went ahead with the vote on 10 June and claimed a landslide victory of 90 percent. He was inaugurated for a second term as the President of Anjouan on 14 June.
Both the AU and the Union government said if an election were held on Anjouan it would be declared "illegal". Bacar's inauguration ceremony deepened the electoral crisis, making it highly unlikely that the official Anjouan poll, postponed to 17 June, would be held.
In his inauguration speech, Bacar declared himself "the president of all Anjouan" and appealed to the Union government "not to throw oil onto the fire".
France, the country's former colonial power, expressed its support for the Union government and the AU stance against Bacar in a statement released on 15 June, and noted that the 10 June election was only the first round in the presidential elections, with the second round scheduled for 24 June.
The statement urged Bacar to respect the 17 June date for holding Anjouan's official election, and allow it to be supervised by AU troops and monitored by international observers.
Since this time the situation has deterioted markedly and the government of Comoros has determined that talks have failed and a military solution is required. During February and March 2008 troops from the Comoros with support from the African Union have been massing for an amphibious assault of the island of Anjouan and the termination of the presidency of Mohamed Bacar. [[Agence France-Presse]] reported that 'the first batch' of African Union troops arrived in the Comoros Islands on [[March 20]], [[2008]], <ref>[http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080320/twl-comoros-unrest-africanunion-4bdc673.html| "African troops patrol Anjouan after renegade leader flees"] (March 27, 2008) [[Yahoo! News|Yahoo!Singapore News]]</ref>
while the [[BBC]] reported that the first African Union troops arrived on [[March 11]], [[2008]]. <ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7289318.stm|"AU troops arrive in the Comoros"] (March 11,2008) [[BBC]]</ref>
In an interview with Agence France-Presse on [[March 12]] [[2008]], Bacar said that he had "always been open to dialogue" and that there should be a round table to discuss Comoran problems. He said that holding a new election in Anjouan would be acceptable if a round table was in favor of it. According to Bacar, some of the countries backing military intervention are undemocratic themselves, and it was hypocritical for them to try to "give [Anjouan] lessons in democracy"; he said that an invasion would ultimately solve nothing and that he was ready to fight and die if necessary.<ref>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gx4r8a48xT9uXmLbAxLOkXksMX4g "Anjouan's Bacar says he is ready to negotiate"] (March 12, 2008) [[Agence France-Presse]].</ref>
==Removal from office==
A tense period punctuated by several incidents of military incursions on Anjouan continued from the beginning of March with notable events including an abortive Comoron raid on Domoni in the south of the island, the seizure of two Anjouan soldiers on the coast close to Sima and the crash of a French military helicopter also near Sima. The end came when, in the early hours of March 25, the island was invaded by a combined Comoros and [[African Union]] force. The island's capital, airport, seaport and second city were all overrun by dawn to scenes of jubilation from the local population. Early reports indicated that the government of Mohamed Bacar had fled to the interior of the island and were in hiding; however, later reports from the Comoros government on [[March 25]] stated that Bacar had fled the island incognito seeking exile in [[Mayotte]]:
<blockquote>"Colonel Mohamed Bacar has been spotted in the village of Sadanpoini where he is heading without doubt for a place to flee on board a kwassa (small canoe) towards Mayotte island, it seems, according to various sources, that he is dressed as a woman."<br>
- Abdourahim Said Bacar, Comoran government spokesman.<ref>[http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL25646751.html| "Anjouan leader flees "dressed as woman" - gov't"] (March 25, 2008) [[Reuters]]: Africa</ref></blockquote>
Soon afterwards, the French government confirmed that Bacar had fled to Mayotte.<ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/9822BE29-99C2-4EB3-8F32-97A2921D3792.htm "Comoros island president flees"](March 26, 2008) [[Al Jazeera]].</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Comoros.html?_r=1&oref=slogin| "Comoros Rebel Leader on French Island"] (March 27, 2008) Associated Press (''[[The New York Times]]'')</ref> He requested that France grant him political asylum, and the French government said that it was considering the request. The Comoran government asked France to hand him over so that it could put him on trial;<ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/DD568540-33C3-49BD-801D-539A673939F0.htm "Comoros requests Bacar handover"], Al Jazeera, March 27, 2008.</ref> it has issued an international arrest warrant for Bacar.<ref name=Protest>[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C6850537-3B99-43C5-8A13-40D214F74AFD.htm "Comorans protest after Bacar flees"], Al Jazeera, March 28, 2008.</ref> Subsequently, the French moved Bacar to the nearby island of [[Réunion]]<ref name=Protest/><ref name=Relaxe>[http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?art_cle=43718 "Anjouan: Bacar relaxé mais devrait être placé en rétention administrative"], AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), March 29, 2008 {{fr icon}}.</ref> on the night of [[March 27]]–[[March 28|28]], along with 23 of his supporters who had accompanied him when he fled to Mayotte.<ref name=Relaxe/> It was thought that he would be charged on Réunion with weapons possession and illegal entry due to his arrival on Mayotte by speedboat. Comoran President [[Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi|Ahmed Abdallah Sambi]] said that if the French objected to extraditing Bacar to Comoros, where the death penalty is allowed, then it could send him to the [[International Criminal Court]] in [[The Hague]] for trial. Thousands of Comorans participated in a protest on [[March 28]] to demand that Bacar be extradited; it is widely believed in the Comoros that France has secretly worked to protect him.<ref name=Protest/> In its extradition request, the Comoran government accused Bacar of "embezzlement of public funds, homicide, rape, torture and other abuses against the people of Anjouan".<ref name=Liberte>[http://www.jeuneafrique.com/pays/comores/article_depeche.asp?art_cle=AFP62628lecolecnedi0 "Le colonel Bacar remis en liberté par la cour d'appel mais assigné à résidence"], AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), April 18, 2008 {{fr icon}}.</ref>
On [[March 29]], the case against Bacar and his 23 supporters, based on illegal entry and weapons possession, was dismissed by a court in [[Saint-Denis, Réunion]]. However, they were kept in detention<ref name=Relaxe/> at air base 181. An order (''reconduite à la frontière'') to expel Bacar and his men back to the Comoros was issued on [[March 28]], but it was subsequently revoked. On [[March 31]], Bacar and his men requested political asylum. Bacar's lawyers also requested a temporary residence permit for them, but this was rejected by the court in Saint-Denis. On [[April 1]], a new order was signed for the expulsion of Bacar and his men. At a court hearing on [[April 2]], Bacar said that he had "confidence in French justice"; his lawyers said that they would appeal the order for his expulsion.<ref>[http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?reg_id=0&art_cle=43946 "La Réunion: l'ex-président d'Anjouan visé par un arrêté de reconduite à la frontière"], AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), April 2, 2008 {{fr icon}}.</ref>
The [[Assembly of the Union of the Comoros]] accused France on [[April 2]] of having taken Bacar out of Anjouan to Mayotte. Replying to this allegation, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascale Andréani said on [[April 3]] that Bacar had managed to flee Anjouan "under unclear circumstances". Andréani said that Bacar was under house arrest on Réunion and that his request for asylum was being reviewed.<ref>[http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?reg_id=0&art_cle=43971 "Comores: Bacar a quitté Anjouan dans ces conditions "non éclaircies", selon Paris"], AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), April 3, 2008 {{fr icon}}.</ref> On [[April 5]], he and his men were detained at the request of the Saint-Denis public prosecutor.<ref name=Liberte/> Bacar was moved to a different cell on [[April 7]] due to threats he had received from other inmates.<ref>[http://apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article_eng&id_article=60048 "Ex-president gets new prison cell in Reunion jail due to inmate threats"], African Press Agency, April 8, 2008.</ref>
Bacar appealed his detention, and on [[April 18]] the Saint-Denis Court of Appeal ordered that he and his men be released, although they were to be kept under house arrest at air base 181. The Comoran government was given "until [[May 4]] to send a file documenting its extradition request".<ref name=Liberte/> Reports on [[May 15]] said France rejected Bacar's request for asylum. Nevertheless, the French refugee office ruled that the ousted leader cannot be extradited to Comoros because of the risk of persecution. France's State Secretary for Overseas, [[Yves Jégo]], said France would support the Comoran government's efforts. "We will continue to act in consultation with the Comoros so that the law can be applied and Col Bacar can be tried."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7402921.stm "Comoran rebel asylum plea refused"], ''BBC News'' (May 15, 2008).</ref><ref>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j-RsOYIl0SZza3dRwJdOWdSgfO3g "France denies asylum to ousted Comoros leader"], AFP, May 15, 2008.</ref>
In his trial for weapons possession and illegal entry at the Saint-Denis Court of Appeal, Bacar's lawyers argued that Bacar and his men had needed the weapons for self-defense when they travelled from Anjouan to Mayotte and that they had surrendered the weapons to the police on Mayotte upon arrival. On [[June 5]] [[2008]], Bacar was acquitted on the charge of illegal entry but was sentenced to three months in prison for entering the country with weapons.<ref>[http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?reg_id=0&art_cle=46347 "Anjouan: prison avec sursis pour l'ex-président Bacar mais avis négatif d'extradition"], AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), June 5, 2008 {{fr icon}}.</ref>
On [[June 24]] [[2008]], the Saint-Denis Court of Appeal ruled against extraditing Bacar to the Comoros.<ref>[http://www.jeuneafrique.com/pays/comores/article_depeche.asp?art_cle=AFP21118rejetracabt0 "Rejet de la demande d'extradition de l'ex-président Bacar"], AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), June 24, 2008 {{fr icon}}.</ref>
== Embargo ==
With the decree ([[European Community|EG]]) Nr. 243/2008 from 17. March 2008 the [[European Commission]] introduced restrictive measures against Bacar's former government. All financial and commercial resources of Mohamed Bacar, Jaffar Salim, Mhamed Abdou Madi, Ali Mchindra, Houmadi Souf, Rehema Boinali, Dhoihirou Halidi and Abdou Bacar are frozen. This also affects all companies, corporations, foundations and so on of these persons. Every payment or financial or commercial help to these people has to be approved. If one does give money or other resources to these people, he will be prosecuted in Germany as a criminal according to § 34 Abs. 4 Nr. 2 [[German foreign trade law]]. Other European countries have different laws on this purpose.<ref>Bundesanzeiger Nr. 57, Seite 1340 vom 15.April 2008</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.anjouangov.com/president.html Government of Anjouan biography]
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{{succession box|title=President of [[Anjouan]]|before=First Creation|after=[[Mohamed Dhoihirou Halidi]]|years=2002-2007}}
{{succession box|title=President of the Autonomous Republic of Anjouan|before=First Creation|after=Office Abolished|years=2007-2008}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacar, Mohamed}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Comorian politicians]]
[[el:Μοχάμεντ Μπακάρ]]
[[fr:Mohamed Bacar]]
[[sv:Mohamed Bacar]]