Unrest in Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros after the president is declared election winner

For the second consecutive day, the Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros remains engulfed in turmoil, marked by barricaded streets and burning tires. The unrest follows the contested declaration of incumbent President Azali Assoumani as the winner of this month’s presidential election, denounced by opposition parties as fraudulent.

Protesters have expressed their dissatisfaction by tearing down President Assoumani’s posters, with violent incidents escalating since Tuesday’s election results announcement. Acts of arson targeted a government minister’s house, and another minister’s car was set ablaze. A national food depot faced vandalism, while several roads in and around the capital, Moroni, were barricaded.

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In response to the escalating situation, the government imposed a curfew on Wednesday night, extending until 6 am Thursday. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Türk, has called for calm, urging authorities to permit peaceful protests. Reports indicate security forces deployed tear gas, even targeting a march by a group of women.

Opposition parties have decried the election as fraudulent, citing bias within the national electoral commission towards Assoumani, a former military officer who came to power in a 1999 coup. The opposition is demanding the annulment of the election results.

Comoros, with a population of around 800,000 spread across three islands, has a history of coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. President Assoumani, 65, secured a fourth term with 62.97% of the vote, having amended the constitution in 2018 to bypass term limits. Accusations of dissent crackdown and protest bans have marked his leadership, as he currently chairs the African Union, set to end next month.

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The government has announced arrests of protesters without specifying the number, accusing the opposition of struggling to accept defeat and inciting violence. Government spokesperson Houmed Msaidie vowed to pursue those behind the unrest, emphasizing a commitment to preventing violence.

Opposition parties, forming a coalition, reject the government’s accusations, asserting that the widespread unrest reflects public dissatisfaction with the current administration. President Assoumani’s previous constitutional amendment in 2018 led to nationwide demonstrations and an armed uprising on one of the islands, quelled by the military.

The situation in Comoros remains tense as political and social tensions escalate, with international observers closely monitoring developments.