“National solidarity must be total to support the Mahorais in the reconstruction of their island,” declared Nathalie Koenders during a gathering in connection with the national day of mourning, this Monday, December 23.
Tropical cyclone Chido crossed the Comoros archipelago on December 14, its eye passing over the islands of Mayotte. The meteorological phenomenon devastated everything in its path. Now, the authorities fear that the natural disaster will be followed by a humanitarian crisis in this French overseas department.
The President of the Republic has declared a day of national mourning, this Monday, December 23, 2024, in tribute to the victims of Cyclone Chido. This is the first time in France that such a tribute has been established due to a natural disaster.
Gathering in Dijon
Around sixty people participated in the gathering organized by the City of Dijon, at 11 a.m., in the main courtyard of the palace of the Dukes of Burgundy.
Around Nathalie Koenders (PS), mayor of Dijon, there were representatives of Mahorais associations – the Mahorais young people and students of Burgundy-Franche-Comté or the Mahorais youth football club in Dijon – and of structures of humanitarian aid – the French Red Cross and Rescuers Without Borders – as well as elected officials from the territory including François Patriat (REN), senator from Côte-d’Or, Catherine Hervieu (LE), MP for Côte-d'Or, and François Rebsamen (PS, FP), president of the Dijon Metropolis.
Solidarity with Mayotte
“If it is still impossible to establish a precise human toll, we know that it will, unfortunately, be very heavy,” declared Nathalie Koenders, “I would like to express our solidarity with our Mahorese compatriots and I have a special thought for our fellow citizens of Dijon who have loved ones there.”
On December 16, the Dijon municipal council voted for exceptional aid of 50,000 euros, via the French Red Cross, and, on December 19, the metropolitan council voted for another aid of 50,000 euros, via Secouristes sans frontières.
“National solidarity must be total to support the Mahorais in the reconstruction of their island,” added the mayor of Dijon.
The participants in the rally then observed a minute of silence before gradually dispersing.
“The cyclone devastated Mayotte”
“My whole family is in Mayotte,” said Maida Hamada, vice-president of the Association of Mahorais Youth and Students of Burgundy-Franche-Comté, which has several dozen members.
“The network is just northeast of the capital,” said the young woman, “for people who live in the north, center or south, there was no way of contact.”
After five days of worry, Maida Hamada was able to obtain reassuring news from her family who had traveled to the capital Mamoudzou.
“A day of national mourning is important because the cyclone that hit Mayotte absolutely devastated it,” said the community activist, “many people lost everything that day.” “Many have also lost their loved ones.”
Rescuers Without Borders offers an emergency medical center
“As soon as we learned of the disaster, Secouristes sans frontières made an offer to the interministerial crisis center to propose deploying an emergency medical unit,” explained Doctor Hervé Roy, president of the “Medical Team” of Secouristes sans frontières. borders. “We are also considering carrying out a longer-term mission to help the populations of Mayotte because we know there are needs.”
In the immediate future, the humanitarian aid association is awaiting the green light from the authorities in order to be able to leave for Mayotte where, to date, only military planes can land. The planned system is made up of around twenty people: five doctors and five nurses as well as ten logisticians and administrative staff.
“Secouristes sans frontières Medical Team has been established in Dijon for 25 years and has always been very supported by local institutions,” said the humanitarian doctor, “notably the City of Dijon and the Côte-d’Or Department have always supported us. supported for missions or the acquisition of equipment. “We are in close contact with elected officials to keep them informed of the information.”
Jean-Christophe Tardivon
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