Mayotte is still desperately waiting for the rainfall that marks the start of the rainy season. So much so that the prefecture could impose new restrictions while the water at the tap is already turned off two out of three days. “The situation is getting worse every day than we can imagine”, alarm Racha Mousdikoudine, president of the Mayotte-A-Soif collective. She tells these “Human lives in danger” : of “Children drinking water from wells”disabled people who are excluded from the distribution of free bottles, or “Underage mothers who prostitute themselves to buy food for their babies”because they cannot use water for their food.
MMe Mousdikoudine spoke these words on November 24th before the Mayotte Administrative Court. In preparation, proceedings were initiated in various courts over several weeks. They question the failure of local authorities and the Mahoraise Water Company (SMAE), as well as the state’s lack of vigilance and anticipation.
This new phase of the water crisis initially took the form of two injunctions filed by Mayotte a soif, the association fighting against climate change, and seventeen applicants. One before the Administrative Court of Mayotte against the Prefecture and the other before the Council of State against the Government to demand the introduction of an Orsec drinking water plan adapted to Mayotte, as well as a plan for it “End the water access, humanitarian, education and environmental crises as quickly and sustainably as possible.”
At the hearing in Mayotte, the plaintiff’s lawyer condemned a “Day management”, of “Fundamental rights violations”. “We don’t know what the prefecture will do when the water dries up completely”, Care for Me Eric Dugoujon.
“Discriminatory prism”
Both the Council of State and the judge of Mayotte rejected the requests. This crisis “reveals a certain number of errors in the organization and management of the service responsible for water management over several years”, However, emphasizes the administrative court. Despite it, “In view of these deficiencies, the state services have taken emergency measures.” The applicants “do not show that the measures of the Orsec plan would be more appropriate than those currently being implemented by the Prefect of Mayotte.”, adds the summarizing judge. The two associations appealed and criticized this “Shortage” of the state “visibly shaped by a discriminatory prism towards foreign citizens”.
You still have 60% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
