independence referendum An independence referendum is a type of referendum in which the residents of a territory decide whether the territory should become an Independence, independent sovereign state. An independence referendum that results in a vote for independenc ...

was held on

Anjouan Anjouan () is an autonomous volcanic island in the Comoro Islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean, part of the Comoros, Union of the Comoros. It is known in Comorian languages, Shikomori as Ndzuani, Ndzuwani or Nzwani, and, until the early twentie ...

, an island in the

Comoros The Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is an archipelagic country made up of three islands in Southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Moroni, ...

, on 26 October 1997. Over 99% of voters voted in favour of independence. However, the vote was not recognised and the island returned to the control of the Comorian government in 2001.

Background

In July 1997 opposition parties were banned and Anjouan separatist leader Abdallah Ibrahim was arrested. His arrest led to rioting in Mutsamudu, the capital of Anjouan.Tom Lansford (2015) ''Political Handbook of the World 2015'', CQ Press Following the riots, militants from the Anjouan People's Movement took over the island, and declared independence on 3 August 1997. Ibrahim was released from prison and named President. At the same time, the island of

Mohéli Mohéli , also known as Mwali, is an autonomously-governed island that forms part of the Union of the Comoros. It is the smallest of the three major islands in the country. It is located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa and it is the ...

also declared independence. On 3 October the Comorian army attempted to invade the island, but were repulsed by local troops. A referendum was subsequently called by Ibrahim despite opposition from the

Organisation for African Unity The Organisation of African Unity (OAU; , OUA) was an African intergovernmental organization established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 33 signatory governments. Some of the key aims of the OAU were to encourage political and ec ...

and the

Arab League The Arab League (, ' ), officially the League of Arab States (, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world. The Arab League was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945, initially with seven members: Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt, Kingdom of Iraq, ...

.COMORO ISLANDS: Anjouan Leader Plans Referendum On Secession
IPS, 13 October 1997

Results

Aftermath

Following the referendum, Ibrahim was appointed head of a provision government of island, now renamed Nzwani. In mid-November he agreed to attend peace talks with Comorian president Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim. After the talks fell through, Anjouan voters subsequently approved a draft constitution in a

referendum A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...

in February 1998. Following another failed attempt to reach agreement in 1999, agreement was reached between the Comorian government and the Anjouan separatists in 2001 to progress with a national referendum on a new federal constitution. This was approved by 76% of voters nationally, and 95% of voters on Anjouan.Elections in the Comoros
African Elections Database

References

{{Comorian elections Referendums in the Comoros

Anjouan