A blog on Senegalese current affairs in the English language. Our aim to is to make accessible issues of concern only otherwise available in Wolof or French.
Showing posts with label Amnesty International. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amnesty International. Show all posts
On Friday
21April 2023, the first of two Eid Fitr days celebrated in Senegal.
In suburban town of Ngor in the region of Dakar a dispute about land
use and rights between the local population and the Gendarmerie had
excalated into protests and street clashes between security forces and
the local youth. At
issue was one of the few remaining empty spaces left, which the
population wanted as a green sapce and possible future high school,
whilst a project was discovered that the local authorities had granted
the land without democratic consultation to build, (and there are
conflicting press reports) , either a branch for the French superstore
Auchan or a new Police station.
The
fierce resaistance put up by the youths meant that the security
services have found it difficult to control the ground despite large
numbers and modern anti-riot equipment.
Then
this Friday came the arrival of unidentified men in civil clothes
armend with sophisticated weapons opening fire on protesters and others
in the local population. Who sent them? Who gave them weapons? Who
protected them? These are the unanswered questions. In the clip below
they can be heard saying to each other to pick up the expended
cartridge shells.
No Police statement has been made, no government official has commented, no investigation announced.
Samira
Daoud, Amnesty International's Regional Director for West and Central Africa,
says the authorities in Senegal are stepping up repression ahead of the 2024
election.
"The Senegalese authorities are stepping up repression in the run-up to
the 2024 presidential election by attacking human rights, restricting civic
space, banning demonstrations and detaining a journalist and opposition
figures. In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, the Senegalese
authorities are undermining human rights protection in the country, including
by restricting the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and
freedom of the press, banning demonstrations organized by opposition parties,
and failing to respect the rights to justice, transparency and truth of victims
of the use of force," said Samira Daoud, Amnesty International's Regional
Director for West and Central Africa.
"Instead of repressing freedoms, the
authorities should respect human rights, stop using excessive force during
demonstrations, allow the media to cover demonstrations, stop arbitrarily
detaining journalists and members of the opposition, and respect the rights to
freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. This trend of repression must stop
now in order to defuse tensions".
Repression of the Senegalese political
opposition
On 16 March, Ousmane Sonko, leader of the opposition party PASTEF,
appeared before a court in Dakar on charges of defamation after Mame Mbaye
Niang, Senegalese Minister of Tourism, filed a complaint against him. On his way
to court, police fired tear gas and Ousmane Sonko was forcibly removed from his
vehicle and taken by police to the courthouse, after an altercation over his
route. As the trial began, clashes broke out in Dakar between police and
demonstrators expressing support for Sonko. A few hours later, the court
adjourned the trial to 30 March.
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.png "Adama Gueye veteran Senegalese journalist comments in English")
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