Curfew imposed after demonstration leaves two dead

A curfew has been imposed on the Comoran island of Anjouan following clashes between police and striking teachers led to the reported death of two high school students. A senior Anjouanese official told IRIN the curfew was imposed on Tuesday to prevent further instability, and dismissed accusations that the police had used heavy-handed tactics. "There is no problem on Anjouan and people can say what they want, but we must ensure that they respect the laws of the island." He refused to confirm the deaths. According to Abdul Kamareddine, a teacher, the students were shot and killed on Monday, allegedly by the police, after joining their teachers in a demonstration over months of unpaid salaries, which turned into violent confrontation. Observers say the incident in Mutsamudu, the capital of Anjouan, has deepened growing concerns over the government's apparent intolerance of dissenting views. In early January, Anjouan authorities suspended broadcasts by the main community radio station, accusing Radio Dzialandze Mutsamudu (RDM) of producing "programmes that do not conform with its statutes and internal regulations". The international press watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, said the suspension stemmed from a decision by striking doctors to air their complaints on RDM after the state-owned television broadcaster had turned them down. Although the radio station was allowed to resume service on 29 January, government critics said the suspension signalled the government's "disregard for basic freedoms". Abdorahim Said Bacar, headmaster of the Said Mohammed Cheik Secondary School on the main island of Grande Comore told IRIN: "There have been some concerns that Anjouan is experiencing a lack of good governance. The suspension of the community radio came as a surprise, especially since the media in the Comoros struggles to survive because of the lack of funds. But the more serious issue now is the behaviour of the Anjouanese police, which needs to be addressed at the highest political level." The island of Anjouan has a history of secessionist agitation and in 1997 unilaterally declared its independence from Comoros. Following military action and an international blockade of the island, the authorities negotiated a return to Comoros that included establishment of the Comoros Union. The Union gives a great deal of autonomy to the three main Comoran islands of Grande Comore, Anjouan and Moheli within a federal system.