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Moroni (Comoros) (AFP) – Voters in the Comoros go to the polls Monday during a politically explosive referendum that could change the constitution and allow President Azali Assoumani to govern beyond 2012, his limit mandate.
After a long history of turbulence, the archipelago of the Indian Ocean is facing a renewed potential unrest after Assoumani banned the protests and the opposition has vowed to resist fiercely to the proposed changes
Opposition deputies demanded "an unconditional stop to the arbitrary and illegal process". "of the referendum, that they said they would boycott."
Ahmed el-Barwane, general secretary of the opposition party Juwa, accused the president of wanting to "draw up a constitution that is made tailor-made for him to do what he wants ""
But the Interior Minister, Mohamed Daoudou, rejected the opposition's concerns, saying that the referendum would go from there. 39, before with about 300,000 registered voters.
Under the Constitution The NT Constitution adopted in 2001, power turns every five years among the three main islands as a means of balancing power in the country subject to sudden.
If the government wins the referendum, this arrangement would be abolished and replaced by a president who would be elected for a five-year term, renewable for a term.
Assoumani would also get the power to abolish the three vice presidencies of the country, another function of control and balance of the current constitution.
a constitutional clause on secularism would be deleted and replaced by a text saying "Islam is the religion of the state" and "the state derives from that religion the principles and rules of Sunni observance ".
Ninety-nine percent of the Comorian population is Sunni Muslim.
In June, one of the country's three vice presidents, Ahmed Said Jaffar, urged Comorians to "reject dangerous abuses" of power. Later, he was stripped of all but one of his ministerial portfolios.
– Early elections? –
If Assoumani wins the referendum, he should hold early elections next year to try to extend his term. If he loses, he will resign, according to his spokesman, Mohamed Ismailla
Set of three islands between Mozambique and Madagascar and one of the poorest countries in the world, the Comoros endured blows repeated and political unrest, including mercenaries, since its independence from France in 1975.
Assoumani, a 59-year-old former colonel, was president between 1999 and 2002, coming to power after ousting acting president Tadjidine Ben Said Mbadonde during a coup of the military state. 19659016] He won the country's first multiparty elections in 2002, retiring in 2006 to democratically hand over power to Ahmed Abdallah Sambi.
In May 2016, he returned to the presidency after an election marked by violence and allegations of voting.
– Clampdown –
In April of this year, Assoumani suspended the Constitutional Court saying that she was incompetent.
The following month, former president Sambi – deemed to be close to Iranian Muslim Shiite – was placed under house arrest, and Assoumani outlawed the protests.
Earlier this month, one of the Vice Presidents, Moustoidrane Abdou, escaped an badbadination attempt
in the west of Anjouan, when some Motorcycle badailants raked his car with automatic shots near the largest city on the island, Mutsamudu.
The three main islands of Comoros – Grande Comore, of which Azali is from, Anjouan and Moheli – has a population of about 800,000 people. A fourth island of the group, Mayotte, is part of France
The results of the referendum are expected Monday evening or Tuesday
bur-bgs / har
Voters in the Comoros go to the polls Monday a politically explosive referendum which could change the constitution and allow President Azali Assoumani to reign beyond 2012, his current term limit.
Overwhelmed by a long history of turbulence, the archipelago of the Indian Ocean faces a renewed potential unrest. promised to fiercely resist the proposed changes.
Opposition deputies on Saturday called for "an unconditional and immediate cessation of the arbitrary and illegal process" of the referendum, which they said they would boycott.
Ahmed el-Barwane, secretary-general of the opposition party Juwa, accused the president of wanting to "develop a constitution that is tailor-made to do what he wants".
But Interior Minister Mohamed Daoudou Dismi According to the Constitution adopted in 2001, the power changes every five years between the three main islands in order to balance power in the country prone to the coup d'etat. 39; State.
If the government wins the referendum, this arrangement would be abolished and replaced by a president who would be elected for a five-year term, renewable for a term.
Assoumani would also have the power to abolish the country. three vice-presidencies, another function of control and balance of the current constitution.
Moreover, a constitutional clause on secularism would be deleted and replaced by a text saying "Islam is the religion of the state" and "the state derives from that religion the principles and the rules of Sunni observance.
Ninety-nine percent of the Comorian population is Sunni Muslim.
In June, one of the country's three vice presidents, Ahmed Said Jaf away, urged Comorians to "reject dangerous abuses" of power. Later, he was stripped of all but one of his ministerial portfolios.
– Early elections? –
If Assoumani wins the referendum, he should hold early elections next year to try to extend his term. If he loses, he will resign, according to his spokesman, Mohamed Ismailla.
Set of three islands between Mozambique and Madagascar and one of the poorest countries in the world, the Comoros endured repeated beatings and political unrest. mercenaries, since his independence from France in 1975.
Assoumani, a 59-year-old former colonel, was president between 1999 and 2002, coming to power after ousting acting president Tadjidine Ben Said Mbadonde at the time. a coup of the military state. 19659041] He won the country's first multiparty elections in 2002, retiring in 2006 to democratically hand over power to Ahmed Abdallah Sambi.
In May 2016, he returned to the presidency after an election marked by violence and allegations of vote.
– Clampdown –
In April of this year, Assoumani suspended the Constitutional Court saying that she was incompetent.
The following month, former president Sambi – deemed to be close to Iran's Shia Muslim – was placed under house arrest, and Assoumani proscribed the protests.
Earlier this month, one of the Vice Presidents, Moustoidrane Abdou, escaped an badbadination attempt
in the West of Anjouan, when some Motorcycle badailants raked his car with automatic shots near the largest city on the island, Mutsamudu.
The three main islands of Comoros – Grande Comore, of which Azali is from, Anjouan and Moheli – has a population of about 800,000 people. A fourth island group, Mayotte, is part of France
The results of the referendum are expected Monday evening or Tuesday.
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