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The Forgotten Migrants

Work in progress 

Union of the Comoros. June 2015 

Europe is enduring the most significant migratory crisis since 1945 and is going to welcome 160.000 additional migrants. 10.000 km away from mainland France, Mayotte has deported in 2014 nearly 20.000 illegal migrants at the border. Anjouan Island is just 70 km far away from the Eldorado Mayotte. But the crossing by kwassa, some makeshift boats, is dangerous: almost 10.000 migrants have officially drowned since 1995. 

This migratory tragedy, too distant future, has received much less attention from the media than the Mediterranean shipwrecks and from the politicians. 

This migratory flow in the Mozambique Channel involves primarily the Comorians. Other migrants come from Madagascar, Tanzania or conflict-affected countries: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Syria, Sudan, Palestina, Yemen. All of them want and deserve a better life. 

 

entire set in the archive 

  • Fishermen sell their fish catch on the coast of Anjouan Island on Wednesday, June 17, 2015. The Comoros is the 25th world's poorest countries. With a rate of 14.3%, unemployment is considered very high.
  • Workers enlarge the Mosque Vendredi in Mtsamboro at north of Mayotte on Monday, June 15, 2015. Most of the migrants disembark from kwassa on Mtsamboro islet, the nearest point to Anjouan. The illegal immigrant population of Mayotte may reach 50.000 to 60.000 people, approximately 30% of its legal population.
  • Fishermen on the coast of Anjouan Island on Wednesday, June 17, 2015. Mayotte is the only island of the Union of the Comoros that voted against independence in 1974. The island is admintrated by France and becomes a french department in 2011. Since 1993, the Comorians from Grande Comore, Moheli, and Anjouan must have a visa to visit Mayotte.
  • Women prepare a Gudu Gudu, a traditional recipe for a rice, caramel and coco based cake on Wednesday, June 17, 2015, in front of their house in Mutsamudu, Anjouan Island. The traditional customary law in Comoros protects women of the archipelago and gives them exceptional rights.
  • Men play a card game in the streets of Mutsamudu, Anjouan, Comoros on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.
  • Muslim at a mosque in Mutsamudu, Anjouan Island, Comoros, scan the horizon on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 and wait for the first light of the moon to celebrate the beginning of the Ramadan. 98% of the population is muslim.
  • Men walk on the pavement in front of a painted logo of Juwa on Thursday, June 18, 2015 in Mutsamudu, Anjouan. The political party of former president of Comoros Ahmed Abdallah Sambi won the last legislative elections in February 2015 and prepares the candidature of Sambi for the 2016 presidential election.The country is facing many problems as unemployment, water and electricity shortage and constantly delaying salary payment.
  • Fishermen on the coast in front of Port of Mutsamudu, Anjouan, Comoros on Thursday, June 18, 2015. Everyday migrants disembark there from ferries, stay some months to prepare an pay the illlegal crossing by kwassa for an amount of 300 to 600 euros, depending on the number of people onboard.
  • Some of the many passports of missing illegal migrants stored in the immigration offices of Mutsamudu, Anjouan, Comoros on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.
  • Mohammed has arrived illegally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in August 2012. He goes regularly to the Association Solidarite Mayotte to get help for the obtention of a visa and to receive food. Without a visa, he can't work legally. In the meantime he sells onions on the market. The Association Solidarite Mayotte is a center which offers a complete assistance to migrants. Mamoudzou, Mayotte, France. Tuesday, June 16, 2015
  • Mohammed submits an asylum application each three months since his coming from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2012. Without a visa, he can't work legally. In the meantime he sells onions on the market. Mamoudzou, Mayotte, France. Tuesday, June 16, 2015
  • Emilie, a five years old Malagasy girl and her mother came recently from there island after they have crossed the Mozambique Channel by dhow during three days. They have been sheltered by the Association Solidarite Mayotte, a center which offers a complete assistance to migrants. Mamoudzou, Mayotte, France. Tuesday, June 16, 2015
  • Mohammed wants to work legally in Mayotte to pay his own food. Without a visa he has to sell onions on the market and comes to the Association Solidarite Mayotte to receive some food. Mamoudzou, Mayotte, France. Tuesday, June 16, 2015
  • Migrants take french lessons at the Association Solidarite Mayotte in Mamoudzou, Mayotte, France on Tuesday, June 16, 2015. The association is the only center in Mayotte to propose a complete assistance to migrants. They have to complete the Delf B1 certificate to obtain a visa.
  • Tammam, a 50 years old Syrian traveled by kwassa the day before from Anjouan to Mayotte. He left his life in Homs in 2014 not for the war, because of insecurity. He couldn't trust anyone in Syria. Other migrants, some children died during the 16 hours of his Indian Ocean crossing. He has been sheltered by the Association Solidarite Mayotte, a center which offers a complete assistance to migrants. Mamoudzou, Mayotte, France. Tuesday, June 16, 2015
  • Tammam, a Syrian refugee who had a restaurant in Homs shows his tattoos with the names of his wife and his son he made himself. They took different directions to flee their homeland. The only wish of Tammam is to go back in a more safe Syria. Mamoudzou, Mayotte, France. Tuesday, June 16, 2015
  • Pacifique, a young Rwandan migrant visits the doctor of the Association Solidarite Mayotte, in Mamoudzou, Comoros on Tuesday, June 16, 2015. The center offers a complete assistance to migrants.
  • A fisherman carries fishes from the place where leave the kwassa to Mayotte. Domoni, Anjouan, Comoros. Thursday, June 18, 2015. Some fishermen prefer taking the risk to smuggle illegal migrants. They could go to jail, but it pays more than fishing.
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