Once again, Réunion Island is serving as the backdrop for a show of force by the French state. On Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 December, warplanes – Mirage 2000-5, Mirage 2000-D, MRTT Phénix and CASA – will criss-cross the skies above Réunion as part of the SAWABI 3 exercise, launched from the French base in Djibouti. Officially, the aim is to ‘consolidate France’s position’ in the Indian Ocean. In reality, it is yet another episode of wasteful spending of public money and contempt for the aspirations of the peoples of the region.

Permanent military base, free of charge, one of the last French bases in Africa

France enjoys a colossal strategic advantage in Réunion: a permanent military base, free of charge, located at the heart of a major geographical area. No other country offers Paris such a platform without anything in return. This colonial legacy still allows France to project its armed forces thousands of kilometres away, without the local population having any say in the matter.

The Indian Ocean is not a war zone.

But who are these manoeuvres aimed at? The Indian Ocean is not a war zone. The people who live there aspire to cooperation, development and peace. Flying fighter jets, some of which are directly involved in French nuclear deterrence, over Réunion Island is part of a logic of domination and intimidation that is completely disconnected from local realities.

Waste of public money

While millions are being spent on fuel, flight hours and military logistics, social emergencies are mounting: mass unemployment, high cost of living, housing crisis, depleted hospitals, climate crisis. These are the real threats facing Réunion.

The most worrying thing is that part of the population supports these war games. Applauding ‘mirages’ in the sky means accepting alienation. La Réunion Island is not meant to be France’s military showcase. It should be a place of peace, regional solidarity, and cooperation between the peoples of the Indian Ocean.

M.M.