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Mohamed Bacar

Comoros

Colonel Mohamed Bacar was President of Anjouan-one of three islands which form the Union of the Comoros. He was president from 2001 to 2008.


More by user: akarikari
Created: 24th Jun 2008
Modified: 24th Jun 2008
Professional Information
Professional Areas:
Government
Position:
President/Colonel
Working primarily in:
Comoros

Biographical Information
Mohamed Bacar
(At a Glance)
Date of Birth: May/5/1962
Gender: male
Place of Origin: Comoros
Mohamed Bacar was born on May 5,1962 in Barakani, Anjouan. He went to France to complete his studies at the naval college in Brest. Afterwards,he became a chief of police in Anjouan which is one of three autonomous islands which make up the union of the Comoros. In 1991,he went for further training in English and Maritime Law in the United States of America. After completing his studies in the U.S., he returned to France in 1996. There, he entered the Gendarmerie State School of Melun. He returned to Anjouan after his graduation.

Upon his return to his home country,he became actively involved in negotiations aimed at resolving the issue of autonomy for the islands of Comoros. He was a delegate representing Anjouan and played an important role in the 2001 'Accord Cadre de Fomboni' which led to the creation of a new Union of the Comoros.

In August 2001, Colonel Bacar was part of a military coup in Anjouan and this resulted in him becoming President of Anjouan till 2008. He is alleged to have rigged the elections in March 2002 to become the President.

In April 2007,the Anjouan Federal Constitutional Court declared that the Presidency of Anjouan was vacant. This rendered Colonel Bacar's period in office after his first term ended illegal. Thus, President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi with the support of the African Union appointed Dhoihirou Halidi as interim president.
Colonel Bacar defied this and went ahead to organize a presidential election on his own. In an effort to prevent the election from taking place, the government of the Union of the Comoros withheld election materials from Anjouan. However, Colonel Bacar printed his own ballot papers and the election took place. He claimed a landslide victory of 90 percent.
France showed support for the Union government and the African Union's position against Mohamed Bacar in a statement issued on June 15,2007. The statement urged Colonel Bacar to allow the official Anjouan election scheduled for June 17 to take place and allow it to be supervised by troops of the African Union.

The government of Comoros determined that the talks had failed and in February and March 2008 troops from Comoros supported by the African Union were sent to Anjouan to aid the termination of Mohamed Bacar's presidency there.
Later on, reports from the government of Comoros showed that Mohamed Bacar had fled Anjouan,seeking exile in Mayotte, an island which is geographically part of the Comoros Islands.
Bacar sought political asylum from France. In response,the French government said they would consider his request.Meanwhile, the Comoran government asked France to hand him over in order that he would be tried. The government of Comoros then issued an international warrant for the arrest of Colonel Mohammed Bacar.
President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi of Comoros said that if the French would not send Colonel Bacar back to Comoros to be tried,they should take him to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. However, in March several Comorans participated in a protest for the extradition of Mohammed Bacar.

While Colonel Bacar's request for political asylum was reviewed,he and some of his men who had fled with him were detained at air base 181 at Saint-Denis in France. Reports in May indicated that Colonel Bacar's request was denied by France.
In June, Colonel Bacar was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment for entering Mayotte with weapons after he fled his home country.


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