2006, Muslim cleric Ahmed Abdallah Sambi won Presidential
elections.
3
September 1997, 300 troops were
dispatched from Moroni, the Comoras capital on Grande Comore, to put down the
secession movement on Anjouan. Rebels, helped by foreign mercenaries, put up
fierce resistance and the Government troops withdrew. France declined to
intervene., the OAU sponsored peace talks. Later in 1997 the Comoros President
appointed an Anjouan as his Prime Minister.
July 1997, The Anjouan and Moheli islands declared independence
from Comoros.
22
December 1979, The French Senate and
National Assembly passed a law that Mayotte was part of the French Republic and
could not be separated from it without the consent of the Mayotte population.
1979, Comoros became a One-Party State.
6
December 1976, A further UN
resolution, passed by 112 votes to 1, reaffirmed Comoros sovereignty over
Mayotte. This was rejected by France as impermissible interference in its
internal affairs.
21
October 1976, The United Nations
General Assembly passed a motion by 102 votes to 1 calling on France to
withdraw from Mayotte
8
February 1976, The referendum in
Mayotte gave a 99.4% vote in favour of remaining with France. France rejected a
UN draft security resolution stating that this referendum was an interference
in the internal affairs of Comoros.
10
December 1975, The French National
Assembly passed a Bill recognising the independence of the three Comoros
Islands (Grand Comore, Moheli and Anjouan), and called for a referendum to
determine the future of Mayotte. If Mayotte were to vote against independence
there was provision for a further referendum on whether Mayotte would become an
Overseas department or a Territory.
10
July 1975, Due to the
anti-independence movement in Mayotte, the French Government decided to grant
independence to Comoros but not in entirety as one unit. French troops left
Grand Comore, but 200 Foreign ;Legionaries remained in Mayotte.
6
July 1975, The Comoros declared their independence from France.
However Mayotte voted to continue u der French protection.
26
June 1975, The French Parliament
passed the Comoro Islands Independence Bill. This required the holding of
island-by-island referendums on independence within the Comoros, but the
Comoros Government objected to this; they voted for a declaration of
independence on 6 July 1975.
22
December 1974, A referendum in
Comoros voted 96% for independence. However in Mayotte the vote was 63% against
independence.
15
June 1973, A joint French-Comoros
Declaration stated that the Comoros would gain independence within 5 years.
10
September 1972, The Comoros Chamber
of Deputies voted to seek independence from France. However the 5 members of
the Mouvement Populaire Mahorias (MPM),
representing Mayotte�s interests, opposed this policy.
1974, Referendum produced vote in favour of independence from France.
However Mayotte voted to remain French.
1886, Comoros became a French protectorate. Previously it was ruled by a
matrilineal hereditary Sultanate, closely linked to the Arab world.