Prominent Comoros politician arrested
Prominent Comoros islands opposition leader Said Larifou has been arrested after he criticised President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi at a rally over the weekend. His detention comes at a time when parties are campaigning for the election of federal MPs and councillors on the Indian Ocean nation’s three main islands. The country has experienced more than 20 coups or attempted coups over 35 years. Sambi is a Sunni Muslim cleric popularly known as "the Ayatollah", which speaks for itself regarding his style of governance. However, he became president in 2006 after the first peaceful change of power since independence from France in 1975. The islands’ voters recently approved constitutional changes that allow Sambi to serve until 2011, instead of 2010. Let’s hope they haven’t created a monster. Read more: BBC, BBC
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