Mayotte - An island on the edge | DW Documentary 

One thing this video failed to address, is the plight of the real Mayotte population. Mayotte was peaceful and prosperous before all the immigrants. It's their prosperity that attracted all those people. First from Comoros, and now from mainland Africa itself. And because of all these immigrants, their well being, living standard and security has gone down. They are victims too.

Hello, I am a « Mahoraise » born and rase in Mayotte and I hate these kinds of documentaries because it shows only one side of the story. We are the also victims, we are robed, attacked, almost everyday! I’m a nurse and I have to take the road everyday at 4 AM and come home at at 6 or 7Pm with the constant fear to get killed on the road by young kids who are the product of immigration. I have been threatened with a machete because they wanted my phone, I could been killed if would have resisted. That’s our freaking reality everyday!!! And Even if the White saviour don’t like when we say that but it’s because of immigration!! And poeple need to stop saying Mayotte and comoros are the same people it’s not! It’s like saying that all african countries are the same and it’s not! Yes we share some similarities but we have been united by the colonisation of France almost 200 years ago then 50 years ago The other islands have decided to part ways with France and Mayotte has decided to stay french. The newly founded governement of comoros failed to provide for their citizens so many of them came to Mayotte. We always had immigrants of comoros in Mayotte and it was peaceful because we were not that many people on the island but right now it’s too much. Our island only 374km2 wich is very small, we can’t be responsable for all the problems sarounding our area. People can think that we are slefish but enough is enough we have taken too much for years. Nobody cares about our lives we just want to be able to be safe. Theses types of documentaries are just propaganda and bullshit. The gorvenement of comoros need to take their responsabilities, thay made their choices so they need to care of their poeple!

"Why was I born to live this life?" 😢 heartbreaking 💔

French police is unable to protect French citizen from migrant's aggressions in Paris, so I am not surprised it is not able to protect French citizen from migrant's agressions in Mayotte. I don't believe that giving french citizenship to comorian or somalian migrants in Mayotte might be a solution. Perhaps the german DW journalist who made this documentary might greet a few of them in Germany ?.

If you cut payments to all asylum seekers,they'll be gone in a month

Omg thank you soo much for the narrator voice instead of subtitles like the last videos. I understand ppl prefer the latter but I always listen to these documentaries before sleeping

i feel for these people, but france can't just take in everybody. they're already overwhelmed. that's just the sad reality.

Considering that Mayotte is so isolated, I doubt it's high on France's to-do list.

People have to understand if you would fight for a farm and land to build in your own country as much as you fight to enter another country your children will be better off. Leaving is just circling the cycle.

When you are consciously aware you live in poverty, best not to have a child or children for they, too, will suffer the harsh reality of hardship, and poverty

France “let’s cut immigration” Also France: borders on almost every world continent.

Yes. And it is EVERYONE elses fault except for these people. They are just hapless travellers.

These are the best documentaries on RU-vid.

So Comoros votes for independence yet they ll flee to Mayotte? Talk about voting against your own interests.

Immigration is a good thing. But uncontrolled Illegal immigration is the bane of the entire world. From South Africa to Mayotte, to Sweden and to the U.S.A. All countries need to come together and re-write these dysfunctional asylum laws.

I live on Réunion island, all the young who come from Mayotte to Réunion have very bad behaviour, a lot of them are very close to crime. Reunion should stop these monsters coming here.

The French have an uncanny knack for turning things into a bit of a mess.

I was in Paris-France 2 days ago and the poverty I saw in Paris was very heartbreaking (that government is totally destructing the country!!). Seeing this video of Mayotte that still belongs to France, is no surprise at all that it suffers from so much poverty.

Thanks for this documentary far more nuanced than the French TV. I would highlight two points : - Mayotte people and Comore people have the same language, they are all Muslims and they have the same clothing. There was no visa until 1995. A lot of families in Mayotte have relatives in Anjouan. The French government arbitrarily divided this space, creating a lot of chaos. The administration had used to be very deficient. Some people have the French passport, some not while they have been living for a while in Mayotte or they were even born there. - More important, Mayotte has been granted the status of "department". This grants social benefits and public funding from the French government to build infrastructures. The GDP per Capita in Mayotte is 1/4 of the French one. Therefore, the French government is spending a ton of money to improve the living standards. Mayotte is under a perpetual Keynesian economic policy. The GDP growth is high and a lot of migrants come to work in construction (boosted by the French public spending). The GDP per Capita in Comore is 10 times less than in Mayotte. In Madagascar, it is even 20 times less. No wonder why, people are coming. As we say in France, "Mayotte is a poor island in an ocean of misery". The whole tragedy of Mayotte is that the GDP per Capita is not growing because of a high birth rate (babies are popping a lot in Mayotte) and of course migration attracted by economic opportunities. The situation benefits to the French civil servants payed 30% more than in the main land and the construction industry. The main people is aside from the economic dynamism of the Island. In this context, local politicians feed xenophobia, saying that every issue is coming from the Comore people. This is ironical because Mayotte people is the same than the Comore people. This situation will keep on being because there is no plan to lead a coordinated economic development policy of the region. The French government and the local politicians don't want. Racism is growing in Mayotte. Once, I told a Mayotte person about the need to develop Comores. He answered me with a French proverb : "you don't give jelly to pigs" ( on ne donne pas de confiture aux cochons)

I was born there but now i live in France for my studies. It’s True that the situation is really complicated and horrible. I had to see a video of my friend killed and cuted like an animal and it get worse every year. But i also have my best memories right there and i will always love my island. When i was there i never missed something and i Thanks my mom as an immigrant mom who worked hard to give us everything we needed and made me a good person.

Please keep doing the voiceover. Please. It's hard for folks with glasses to read subs as well and it's so much more engaging especially if you're watching while doing dishes or chopping and prepping food to not have the video close but listen and watch images. You're the only documentary channel that does it. Please don't stop.

the irony they chose to be independent from france, attacked mayotte for chosing to stay, now they wanna go back to france/mayotte

When you have 15 children and complain that life is hard.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much for an insightful documentary.

A tiny island with a tiny population yet so extremely problematic. At this point, France should just give up on Mayotte even if the people voted to remain under French rule.

Marseille,France is the city with the biggest Comorien population,larger than on any of the Comores islands,seems like the Comores biggest export is people,perhaps if the women did not have 15 children each,and the men 5 wives there would be less poverty and need to leave their home islands. The French government spends billions on Mayotte and the Mhouraise are looked after very well there and in France,so how is it the responsibility of France to look after the citizens of the independent Islamic Republic of the Comores?

The question inevitably arises whether any country can afford to socially support millions of migrants as the cost is for the account of the tax payer. Whilst at a personal level one's heart breaks for the individual suffering, the root cause stems from corruption and violence by authoritarian countries depriving their populace from developing and thriving. Africa is arguably one of the best resourced continents, but the most violence and corruption prevents its development. It also spends billions on weapons annually. Whilst this cycle continues, this situation will just become more unmanageable. A socially dependant populace creates an artificial need for political leaders which in its turn is a motivation to keep the populace needing in order for the populace to believe that the only resolve is to vote for corrupt dictators.

France would be smart to cut ties with these islands. Let them stand on their own.

Man I can't believe international news is talking about this.

4:33 that's false you can only get citizenship if atleast 1 parent is a citizen or has full residency.

I'm a big fan of DW reporting and documentaries. But this piece is extremely unclear, as if a crucial part is missing. Are some of these people French citizens or not?? Do they just not possess "papers" or do they lack a legal status or citizenship?? I understand that some are migrants who don't have the status. But the opening scene shows a very sad woman who is apparently a citizen, yet for completely unexplained reasons cannot get an ID! How is this possible?? DW should do a lot better than this.

So common, common throughput human history. People move mostly due to misery, misry caused by corrupt, humans. Somehow we need to end corruption, somehow

But there's always thousands of little kids running around. Stop bringing 10 children into this life

To protect him, we have decided to make him unrecognizable. Proceeds to show his side, his hands and legs

Why does France own an Island way down in Southern Africa, it does not make sense really, they need to let go of this if they need a way to curb the high migration crisis being experienced in France/Paris.

So I summarize the situation, Mayotte voted and decided to remain French, the Comoros decided to vote for independence. The Comorians, even poorer without France, have therefore decided to migrate en masse to Mayotte, which remains French and which has a better standard of living. What's the point of becoming independent if it's to escape to the former colonizer now? the Mahorais have decided to remain French and therefore have the right to French nationality, the others will have to be expelled from the island.

Thanks for showing around the world what happened in this island

Another failed situation of France colonization Very soon Mayotte will end up like haiti The people of mayote and comoros are one family They share same ancestors ,etc

Sending prayers 🙏

I wonder why people are moving away from Comoros? Am in Tanzania and all I hear about Comoros is nothing but good news... I have friends from there and who come to TZ to do business

Oh that girl in the beginning broke my heart 💔 😢 The Elite scum are probably going to "Lahaina" these poor people.

Why not come to kenya 🇰🇪 we might not be rich like france but we are very welcoming. Here no one will mistreat or victimize u . There's no need going to an island where u will be mistreated this way

So if i understand well, Comores got independent , Mayotte stayed French, and now people from Comores come to Mayotte, illegally, and blame France to not help them? Is that a joke ? You guys put yourself in this situation and do nothing to make it better. You just wait to be fed like baby birds in a nest . What you think ? That just because you put a foot in an European country or France , the states will give you houses, healthcare, money and jobs ? I think people need to realise that all these dreams about living in Europe = being rich , are literally dreams, fantasy. It’s not how it is. Work on make your country better instead of thinking that the grass is greener at the neighbour. I’m born french, in France, a niiiiice white guy with blue eyes, and I’m working like a slave to have a “decent life” , mostly working to pay taxes. And it’s the same for millions of people in France. We are also poor, and hundreds of thousands of us, homeless and I don’t even talk about the people that can’t even buy food anymore and have to beg at the red cross.

You can not expect the government has a responsibility to take care of you when you entered the country illegally.

Let’s give it to the closest country there, I can’t imagine that place being nothing more than just a huge burden.

"Oh no, the situation on this island is bad". Also "These new non-native people that are flocking to this island are afraid of being sent away." Hmm, What could be the solution to this problem and who is making it worse? Any ideas. 10 000 is the native births on the island each year and hundreds of migrants arrive every day. What an imbalance.

Illegal immigration is like unwelcome strangers staying at your house.

Why was I born to live this way. Turn to your parents and blame thoose who truly put you there =/

They are in deep poverty but they won't stop having children

Funny how the other island chose to divorce ties with France and now people from those same island running begging to a island that chose to stay with France. Those who rejected to stay with France should be rejected by France and Mayotte. Every action has a consequence in the future, if you chose wrong then you pay the price.

Just use the right route instead of using the back door to enter another country illegally

Europe and USA would soon be like that with one sections living in shanty towns

So sad that this is happening. There is enough money around to pay for modest improvements here in Mayotte.

I feel sorry for the locals...there country is being destroyed

Why don't we see refugees from North Korea? India? etc? Those countries have poor people too!! African governments are encouraging their people to leave so that they don't have to provide basic services for them and the people will send money back as remittance again so the government does not have to provide services while government officials line their pocket and sell the country to European corporate interests

I don't understand why France keeps this Island, isn't it just a waste of money and a source of illegal immigrants for them? What good does this Isalnd give to them? I'm actually curious

Can someone explain me please how and why is the girl who is a french citizen unable to get an ID card? Like how?

Why would anyone want to leave Africa.?

great dokumentary

Comoros independence has been a disaster to the people. They should have stayed part of France.

It is NOT that they are unwanted, its just it shouldn't be tax payers responsibility to bear their burden.

Thats not FRANCE . Thats Africa.

8:46 isn't it better to walk to the corner and then go around to the other side instead of the way they doing it?

Try not to have babies you could not feed them.They will suffer..Parents responsible for children.try to go back own country.God help this people.

According to international law a person seeking asylum must do so in the first country it is safe to do so. crossing several African countries breaks that rule. economic migrants NOT refugees. go away post colonial Africa is at fault not France .

To live in france is truly a tragedy, my condolences to anyone born in france 😔

All children born in France are NOT automatically entitled to French citizenship there are conditions to be met.

Mayotte should vote for their statehood like other sovereign nations. Being attached to France is a setback rather than a blessing. And thinking France cares about the well-being of these people is a misconception.

Their forefathers fought so hard for the independence and now their children fought to leave the country. What a joke.

Not trying to be mean but stop having kids and putting them into these bad situations. The parents are the fault.

Africa is a continent with many countries, why dont these migrants go to another country on the continent instead of expecting France to take them in when they bypassed so manyl other countries on their way?

It's bizarre that the concept of '2nd class' citizenship still exists in a democratic (?) European state.

poor girl. good luck with god helping you.

That what happen when illegal migrants are not controlled. unfortunately it is too late now

Some of the commentators are rather commenting against these people. I appeared on a Korean documentary, and I was used by them. they took many video shorts, asked many questions. But when the video came, they made me appear as the one who was not fit in korean society (as a foreigner). It was very unfair and dishonest. totally biased. I see the same thing in here. The people's comments against these people confirm what I am saying. They picked and chose parts of interviews and shots to suit the narrative they wanted to show.

The hostility in the comments section is 😢

Free Mayotte island it's not for France or Europe we are people of Africa

It was a truthful documentary and mesrable circumstances shown in Mayotte Island ... which belongs to French mastering... documentary shared by an excellent ( DW) channel.

Dw is rivaling netflix for good content 👌

Wow, france could at least finance safe drinking water for all. Wouldn't break the bank of france!

"Stuck in an impossible situation" ? French authorities did never ask them to come. And they can't be responsible for giving them benefits or a planeticket to Europe, which is what most of them is after.

More than two-thirds of the countries in the world are nothing but a liability. They contribute zilch to global growth. On the contrary they create a plethora of problems and make sure they persist.

Are these migrants suffering more than natives from Mayotte ? Real suffering is on both sides. This documentary is extremely oriented. # poorleftiesmindset will keep us from chaos they said while we can see the complete opposit. 😢.

The French expats working in the government sector in those countries that are once controlled by France get extra benefits to work there. The economic and educational assistance is lacking every colonial place. Toll is high for the past mistakes.

It's not always greaner on the other side. Fix your contries.

These young individuals should abandon their dreams of wanting to move to Europe. It is not that easy. The only easy way you can make it there is through obtaining a good education, exceptionally enough to be offered a good job. Having said so, very few can manage. Put your dreams where you were born. Africa, for instance is very promising if you know where to look. What a waste of time and energy to spend all your youthful years fighting to go to Europe, then realizing it was just a dream. Europe was built by dedicated European citizens, you are equally obligated to do the same for Africa, socially, economically, politically and even culturally! There claims are totally pointless! I think France should keep preventing them, otherwise lots and lots of individuals with similar mindset will flood Mayotte targeting for Europe. I am writing this from Tanzania 🇹🇿.

Why be stuck there? These healthy youngsters got French education up until high school, which means they are already privileged in comparison to the rest of the continent. Now they can move on using their Comorean passports (which their are entitled by law even though they were born in Mayotte). It sounds like too much victimization is the main problem over there.

All of us in our ivory towers are looking down on the poor with discust. The richer the country, the less humanity we seem to have.

Holy fuck !!!!! What a nightmare

Imagine that you’re an African but you practice a Muslim religion you speak a French language and you have no rights in your own land. Think about that for a minute, but the same African people will blame others for their situation. No African people need to start blaming themselves, they need to start being accountable for their own actions..Africans have no one to blame but themselves..India is rising, China did it, Scotland did it, Ireland did it..what is Africas problem.

This is France but so different from France. No comparison.

Follow the rules - it is a form of respect to other countries.

I'm surprised they all don't claim asylum. Everyone else seems to do so.

Well... Why does nobody speak of urging / compelling the Comorian government to respect its islamic laws and to take care of its muslim population ?!? And the self-righteous money-burning UN has nothing better to do than to condemn this... The French boat patrols should be paid by the UN, not stigmatized!

Imagine treating a German poorly because they're from Saarland and the French are coming in to work in Germany through there.

This is a joke French owning Africa. Africa Union AU should make a ruling on this. This is absurdity for French to consider this as their own .

Am shocked am on the mainland East Africa Tanzania/Zanzibar well never knew the Mayotte islands are still under the french yet very poor! We Tanzanians are happy with our country hardly you would here people speak of migration infact out of 100 Tanzania maybe 5 people would speak of trying life in other parts of the world especially Europe Tanzanians/Zanzibar used to migrate to South Africa 10 years ago currently the numbers have dropped hardly people migrate to SA we are happy with the little we have so to us when we here the whole of Africa people are running away we are surprised,AM now 35++ and I have never thought of running away from Tanzania/Zanzibar so many opportunities here

What is the lady's name who represents the Citizens Alliance and what is the contact information for that organization

Sad for the struggle these young people have and the babies that get sick and may die from the unsanitary conditions.

Why should colonisation still exist in this era? I see why the countries of west Africa have told french to leave .