JOINT COMMUNIQUE BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF SOUTH AFRICA, CHAIRMAN OF THE MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE COUNTRIES OF THE REGION AND THE OAU TROIKA AND THE OAU SECRETARY GENERAL
The OAU and the South African government wishes to reiterate its conviction that the constitutional future of the Comoros can be best addressed within the framework of the Antananarivo Agreement, which was entered into by Comorian parties on 29 July 1999. The accord was a culmination of protracted negotiations, under the auspices of the OAU. This process was a manifestation of the collective will of the OAU and countries of the region, including South Africa, as Coordinator of Countries of the region on the Comoros, to assist the people of the Archipelago, to find a long-lasting political settlement to the endemic crisis that has bedeviled the Comoros.
The Anjouanese separatist movement was an active party in the intensive and inclusive negotiating process that led to the accord. The accord enjoys the support of the overwhelming majority of the Comorians, including the Anjouanese, as it adequately reflects the legitimate concerns of the Anjouanese. Further, the accord is a balanced compromise and remains a viable framework for all-round constitutional negotiations and a lasting solution to the crisis in the Comoros.
The leadership of the Anjouanese separatist movement has not only reneged on its commitment to honour the signing of the accord, but has also consistently demonstrated intransigence and dangerous political brinkmanship, and openly challenged the credibility and authority of the OAU.
In continued defiance of the OAU and countries of the region, and against the decision of the Pretoria Ministerial meeting of 21 December 1999 that the Anjouanese should sign the Antananarivo Agreement by 1 February 2000, the separatist leaders unilaterally held a "referendum", on 23 January 2000. The so-called referendum was held in a climate of terror, intimidation and suppression of the freedom of speech.
The OAU refuses to be misled by the separatist leaders and their obvious maneuvers, aimed at delaying the implementation of the Antananarivo Agreement and ultimately derailing the whole process towards constitutional negotiations on the basis of the Antananarivo accord. We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the so-called referendum and are determined to protect the integrity and sovereignty of a united Comoros.
In view of the above situation, the OAU and countries of the region are left with no choice but to implement a series of measures, initially directed at leaders of the separatist movement and their families; leaders and members of their armed militias; heads of the Anjouanese administrative machinery; key financial backers and business people linked to the separatist movement and supporters of the separatist movement, outside the island.
The measures will be implemented in phases i.e. the nature and severity will depend, to a large extent, on the response of the Anjouanese separatist movement. The first phase of travel and financial restrictions on all targeted persons will take effect today.
Travel restrictions, non-recognition of their travel documents and passports, freezing of bank accounts and other financial transactions, inside and outside the Comoros, and blocking of all repatriation of funds by members of their families, external allies and sympathisers will form part of the first phase of the measures.
A list of targeted persons will be circulated in the Comoros, all members states of the OAU and the United Nations, including the Five Permanent Members Security Council, the League of Arab States, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the European Union, the Indian Ocean Commission and La Francophonie and various other international organisations and OAU partners. Task teams will be established on the continent to liaise and coordinate effective implementation of the agreed measures.
The OAU and countries of the region will spare no effort to isolate and restrict the movement of the leadership of the separatist movement and its cohorts, wherever they may be in the world. Further, the Secretary general of the OAU, Dr Salim Salim and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, as Coordinator of countries of the region on the Comoros, will initiate negotiations and discussions with all relevant leaders and international organisations to secure the broadest possible support and cooperation for these measures.
The OAU will not accept the dismembering of the Comoros. The mandate of South Africa and the countries of the region is to safeguard the territorial integrity, sovereignty and unity of the Comoros. We will spare no effort and are determined to engage all means at our disposal to execute this mandate.
These measures should serve as a signal of our unwavering commitment to end the separatist crisis in Anjouan. Even as we contemplate other more punitive measures against the separatist movement, we hope that the separatist leaders will still heed our call, even at this late hour, and sign the accord without any further delay.
Although seized with resolving the separatist crisis in Anjouan, the OAU and the government of South Africa are also acutely aware of the urgent need for a rapid return of the country to civilian, democratic rule and constitutional order, by the present military authorities, in keeping with the decision of the OAU Summit in Algiers. In this regard, we welcome the pronouncements of the military ruler in the Comoros, to honour his commitments before the next OAU Summit in Togo, in June 2000, and further, call on the military rulers to cooperate fully with the OAU and Countries of the region.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
Pretoria
2 FEBRUARY 2000