Senegal: Human rights violations on the rise in run up to election

 ARTICLE 19 statement on Human Rights violations in Senegal 05/04/2023

Place de l'independance, Dakar, Senegal. Photo: Rignese /Wikimedia Commons

Summary

This is a follow-up on a shorter statement published on 31 March, and provides further detail and analysis of recent events in Senegal, including protests that have turned violent, authorities’ attempt to prevent protest, and to stifle the freedom of expression of opposition political parties and their supporters.

As Senegal gears up for an election in early 2024, media freedom and the protection of other rights, including the right to protest, have been severely compromised. The country has witnessed a significant deterioration in its media landscape, and journalists have been attacked, naturally hindering their ability to perform their duties without fear. Reports indicate violations of the right to peaceful protest, with citizens being met with excessive force and arbitrary arrests during demonstrations. In addition, political parties are facing a blatant crackdown, and their supporters and members have been arrested and prosecuted across the country. These developments are extremely worrying, as they threaten the democratic process in Senegal and the fundamental rights of the Senegalese people.

 

The right to protest

The right to protest is a fundamental component of a democratic society. It allows citizens to express their grievances and demands, and it can bring attention to important social and political issues. Political parties also play a vital role in democracy, as they represent the diverse interests and views of the public. They provide a platform for citizens to engage with the political process and help to ensure that their voices are heard. Journalists, meanwhile, play a critical role in providing citizens with accurate and impartial information about events and issues affecting their lives. They help to hold those in power accountable and provide a necessary check on abuses of power. It is essential that journalists can operate freely without fear of reprisal or censorship. All of these factors are vital to the functioning of a healthy and vibrant democracy.

Reacting to this tense situation, ARTICLE 19 reiterated its call for de-escalation of violence and respect for fundamental rights, including the exercise of public freedoms and the protection of journalists.

‘ARTICLE 19 calls for de-escalation of violence and violations and concrete measures to protect journalists and their access to information without obstruction. We also call for the release of detained protesters. Public order will certainly be more effectively achieved through respect for the right to peacefully demonstrate, and the state’s protection of protesters, instead of using force and confrontation that reinforces a culture of violence. ARTICLE 19 remains ready to work with institutions and all relevant actors to reform Senegal’s regulations regarding the exercise of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. This will help guarantee the conditions for a civic space that empower citizens to express their opinions in the public space without fear and to fully participate in democratic frameworks in accordance with international human rights standards and norms that Senegal has formally endorsed,’ said Alfred Bulakali, the Regional Director of ARTICLE 19 Senegal and West Africa.

Violent protests and arrests during opposition leader Ousmane Sonko’s trials 

Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has recently been tried for defamation. The trials, which took place on 16 and 30 March, sparked widespread protests in Senegal, which were met with force by the police, leading to the arrest of hundreds of protesters. 

Sonko was convicted in absentia and sentenced to two months’ suspended imprisonment and a fine of two hundred million CFA francs (304,898 euros), exacerbating the tense situation across the country. In addition to the defamation charge, brought after a case was lodged by the minister for tourism, Mame Mbaye Niang, Sonko also faces trial for rape, for which no credible evidence has been put forward. Sonko’s supporters claim the charges are politically motivated. 

On 16 March, Ousmane Sonko was on his way to the defamation trial when his procession was blocked due to a disagreement regarding the route. Tensions increased as police fired tear gas and protesters threw stones. Police officers forcibly removed Ousmane Sonko from his vehicle, and then punched and kicked him before ordering him into a police car to be taken to court. These events exacerbated an already tense situation. Unprecedented violence in several locations across the country followed, with reports of looting and destruction of public and private property.

Violence at the protests quickly escalated, with clashes between protesters and police, leading to injuries and arrests.

Some protesters set fire to government buildings and vehicles, and the government responded with a heavy-handed crackdown. According to both judicial sources and the media, since 16 March, hundreds of protesters have been arrested, including in Saint Louis, Ziguinchor and Dakar. Authorities provided a range of reasons to charge them, including participation in a prohibited gathering, causing damage or destruction to public and private property, and acts likely to compromise public safety. Other reliable data from the national opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi also indicate there have been widespread arrests and prosecutions of demonstrators. At least 100 young people are currently in custody at the central police station of Dakar. In other departments around the country, dozens of people have been arrested and referred to police stations, gendarmeries, and prisons.

Recent updates from the prosecutor of Ziguinchor highlighted that ‘since the 16 March  demonstrations, 96 protesters have been referred to the prosecutor’s office. Of these, 64 have been placed in pre-trial detention, while 32 individuals, mainly minors and students, have been released on bail.’

 

Authorities must respect human rights in order to prevent further loss of life 

On 20 March, clashes between law enforcement officials and protesters in the Bignona department resulted in the tragic death of 21-year-old Mamadou Korka, who was reportedly shot in the head. Two others lost their lives during demonstrations in Dakar on 16 March, including a deliveryman struck by a pickup truck and an agent of the mayor’s office of Medina, who was attacked with stones by demonstrators. Both individuals died on Friday, 17 March due to their injuries.

While law enforcement officials have a duty to maintain order and protect citizens, they must also respect the fundamental human rights of people, including the right to assembly and freedom of expression. It is essential that law enforcement officials prioritise the use of non-violent means before resorting to force, and only use such measures when less dangerous means are not practicable and to the minimum extent necessary, in line with international standards – specifically, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials highlight the importance of ensuring that the use of force is always necessary and proportionate. 

‘Security forces must refrain from using force against any peaceful gathering. All protesters who were arrested for exercising their right to protest must be released without being subjected to any kind of violence,’ added Alfred Bulakali.

Attacks on and arrests of journalists

On 30 March, the situation escalated further when several journalists covering the protests were arrested and physically assaulted by police. Security forces fired tear gas at crowds in an attempt to break up a press conference planned by Yewwi Askan Wi, resulting in a woman journalist being injured after being hit by a vehicle during the chaos. Another journalist from Agence France Presse (AFP) was assaulted by security forces while covering a demonstration organised by the opposition. Authorities claimed the rally organisers had failed to secure the required authorisation. AFP condemned the attack and questioned whether Senegalese authorities had truly intended to guarantee a free press and the safety of journalists. 

‘Journalists must be allowed to exercise their work freely and without danger, including when covering demonstrations or public events. Security forces must ensure the protection and safety of journalists at all times. They must refrain from using force against any peaceful gathering,’ added Alfred Nkuru Bulakali.

Targeting of opposition and political activists

According to recent reports, opposition leaders in Senegal have been targeted by the Sûreté Urbaine, a specialist unit dedicated to judicial investigations. The arrests took place in several locations, including Dakar, Kedougou, Kaolack, and Touba in the department of Mbacke. Many of those arrested were members of the political party PASTEF (Patriotes africains du Sénégal pour le travail, l’éthique et la fraternité), and hold cabinet positions within the party.

The charges brought against the opposition leaders have varied, with most of them facing judicial proceedings for their views on either the Sonko case, the possible candidacy of President Macky Sall for next year’s election, or on public governance. The offences for which they were prosecuted include disturbing the peace, spreading false news, undermining state security, and defamation.

For instance, on 26 March, Dr. Seydou Diallo, the departmental coordinator of Keur Massar and Pastef Yeumbeul Sud, was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Division. Meanwhile, El Malick Ndiaye, the communications officer for PASTEF, was summoned and prosecuted for allegedly sharing false news on 22 March. He was prosecuted after he posted a tweet that claimed an ‘individual dressed in a uniform of the brigade d’intervention polyvalente sprayed Ousmane Sonko with an unknown substance’. He was finally charged, on 27 March, with spreading false news of a nature to discredit institutions, and has since been provisionally released on condition that he wear an electronic tag.

Earlier in March, two political activists, Abdou Karim Gueye and Cheikh Oumar Diagne, were summoned to the Criminal Investigation Division and later placed in custody on charges of ‘calling for insurrection, calling for violence against institutions, and undermining state security’. Following their appearance before a judge on 23 March, they were placed under a warrant of committal for ‘undermining state security’. In addition, the mayor of Keur Massar Sud, Mouhamed Bilal Diatta, has also been placed under a detention order and sent to Rebeuss prison after being prosecuted for ‘calling for insurrection’ and causing ‘offence to the head of state’ after telling young people to engage in acts of resistance.

These arrests have raised concerns among opposition parties parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna claims that there are currently over 113 political prisoners in Senegal. The targeting of political activists and the use of vague charges to justify their arrest and detention is a worrying development that threatens to undermine democratic values and freedoms in the country.

The recent events in Senegal have highlighted the need to protect the fundamental rights of citizens, including the right to protest, freedom of the press, and freedom of political expression. The targeting of journalists, opposition political activists, and protesters is a cause for concern, and the international community must stand in solidarity with the people of Senegal in their fight for democracy and human rights.

Given the deterioration of media freedom and protection of other rights, including the right to protest, the government of Senegal must take immediate action to ensure that the rights of its citizens are protected. Specifically, the government must:

• Respect the right to protest: The government must respect the right of its citizens to peacefully assemble and express their views without fear of violence or intimidation. Any unnecessary use of force by the security forces should be immediately investigated and held accountable.
• Protect journalists: The government must ensure that journalists are free to do their work without fear of harassment, violence, or arrest. Any attack on journalists or media houses should be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.
• Allow opposition parties to operate: The government should allow opposition parties to operate freely and participate in the political process without intimidation or harassment.
• Stop harassment of and crackdown on opposition leaders and political activists and release all individuals who were arrested for exercising their fundamental right to right to freedom of expression. 

Furthermore, we call upon the international community to closely monitor the situation in Senegal and to speak out in defence of human rights and democratic principles. The government of Senegal must understand that it will be held accountable for any violations of international law or human rights norms.

For more information, please contact:

Maateuw Mbaye, Program Assistant, ARTICLE 19 Senegal/West Africa Email: maateuwmbaye@article19.org   T: +221785958337

Aissata Diallo Dieng, Office Manager, ARTICLE 19 Senegal/West Africa Email: senegal@article19.org   T:+221338690322

Opponents form coalition in Senegal against Macky Sall's of third term

From: Le Monde -  By Coumba Kane and Théa Ollivier(Dakar, correspondence)
Published on 26 April 2023

 

A Dakar, durant une manifestation des oppositions à un troisième mandat de Macky Sall, le 26 janvier 2023. STEFANO RELLANDINI / AFP

In Senegal, the diverse F24 Platform to prevent a third term for Macky Sall. Political figures, members of civil society, associations, grouped under the same banner, are calling for a large demonstration on 12 May in Dakar.

It's like déjà vu. Twelve years after the Movement of June 23 (M23) formed to block the third term of former President Abdoulaye Wade, the platform "forces vives de la nation F24" was born on April 16 in Senegal, bringing together at least 150 political parties and civil society organizations. This time, it is Macky Sall who is in the firing line, accused of maintaining the vagueness of his candidacy for a third term in the February 2024 presidential election. "I understand the concern of the Senegalese but the time will come, it is soon," assured the head of state, Saturday, April 22 on the airwaves of the private Senegalese radio RFM.

The heterogeneous members of the F24 Platform have set several priorities: the fight against the third candidacy of Macky Sall, the release of political prisoners, the end of bans on demonstrations, as well as the repeal of certain articles of the electoral code on the ineligibility of candidates. Among this massive front are political leaders who have declared themselves candidates for the 2024 elections such as Ousmane Sonko, the former mayor of Dakar Khalifa Sall, Déthié Fall and Aminata Touré.


Faced with the risk of seeing one of them use the new formation to serve his own purpose, it was decided to entrust the coordination to a member from civil society. It is the former trade unionist and figurehead of the M23, Mamadou Mbodj, who was chosen. "It is important to have someone outside the electoral competition who can arbitrate in case of partisan differences," said Senghane Senghor, in charge of legal affairs at the association Rencontre africaine pour la défense des droits de l'homme (Raddho).

"It transcends political parties"

The new coalition must also ensure that it harmonises its speeches and should quickly set up a commission in charge of communication. "We have to work on polishing the speeches because we cannot speak like politicians and have inflammatory speeches," explains Senghane Senghor. The stakes are high to keep all the sensitivities on board the movement. The former Minister of Energy Thierno Alassane Sall has agreed to overcome these "dissonances" to join the platform.

"This is about defending the Constitution, not subjective and personal issues. This transcends political parties," explains the president of the Republic of Values party, who left his post after criticising the oil contracts signed by the 2019 government. Elected deputy in July 2022, he had refused to join the opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi-Wallu Senegal (of which Ousmane Sonko is a member) which he criticized for its "radicalism" and "violence". "This time, it is not a political coalition, we will not go together to the presidential election," continues the politician, who ensures that the issue of a potential union in the second round has not yet been addressed.

Although the new platform is broadly based, the absence of certain heavyweights on the Senegalese political scene is nevertheless felt. This is the case of the Democratic Party of Senegal, the PDS, of former president Abdoulaye Wade. "We cannot sit down with Aminata Touré, former Minister of Justice under Macky Sall, who has charged Karim Wade," says Assane Ba, national secretary in charge of mobilization of the PDS.

The son of the former president, who has eyes on the presidential election, was convicted in 2015 for "illicit enrichment" and then pardoned before going into exile in Qatar. Idrissa Seck, former prime minister who came second in the 2019 presidential election and is now a candidate again, is also holding back.

The coordinator Mamadou Mbodj would like to convince all these actors: "We want to continue to expand the platform. We are also in discussion with the trade union centres and religious leaders. The question now is whether F24 can succeed where the M23 failed in 2011-2012. A demonstration is planned in Dakar on 12 May, an opportunity to measure the weight of the new platform.

 From Worldview - RANE (Risk Assessment Network + Exchange)

 

 Senegal’s 2024 Election Could Threaten One of West Africa's Most Stable Democracies

April 24, 202

 In Senegal, mobilization of the opposition and the outcomes of ongoing legal battles could trigger massive unrest and — in an extreme scenario — a constitutional crisis that could plunge the historically stable country into violence. More than one hundred political and civil society groups in Senegal formed a coalition on April 16 to oppose a third term for President Macky Sall. The coalition is called the F24 Movement of Vital Forces and is coordinated by Mamadou Mbodj, a long-standing member of the Senegalese opposition. Ousmane Sonko, the leading opposition candidate for the February 2024 presidential election and the subject of two ongoing criminal trials, was among those who attended the coalition's launch.

 

• The F24 is meant to evoke commonalities with the June 23 Movement, or M23, that fought against a third term for former President Abdoulaye Wade in 2011-2. Senegal's constitutional court approved Wade's bid to run for a third term, but large-scale protests erupted, and Wade eventually lost the presidential election to Sall in 2012. 
• In addition to condemning Sall's ambiguity on a third term, F24 is also calling for the release of political detainees who were arrested during demonstrations related to Sonko's ongoing defamation case.
•  Sonko was convicted of defamation for comments he made in 2022 about the Senegalese tourism minister on March 30. He received a sentence of two months in prison and a fine of 200 million CFA francs (about $334,000). While the ruling will not bar Sonko from contesting the presidency, Mame Mbaye Niang, the minister of tourism who has accused Sonko of defamation, appealed the judgment and is seeking a harsher sentence, which is scheduled to be heard on May 8. Sonko faces a separate trial process for allegedly raping a beauty salon employee in 2021. In both cases, Sonko denies any wrongdoing; he and his supporters have persistently characterized the accusations as trumped-up, politically motivated charges intended to bar him from seeking the presidency
•  For the first time in Senegalese history, the president's party does not have a majority in parliament after July 31 2022 legislative elections delivered a decisive victory for the opposition coalition. 

The opposition's move is a reaction to Sall's ambiguity about whether or not he will seek a third term, which his opponents consider illegal. On March 20, Sall remarked that running for a third term would not violate the Senegalese Constitution, as the amendment that limits presidential tenure to two five-year terms was passed after his first term had begun. Earlier that month, Sall told journalists he was delaying his decision regarding whether to run in the February 2024 election to prevent political dysfunction. It remains unclear exactly when Sall will announce his intentions, but opponents have already announced their candidacies in opposition to Sall's Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS). The PDS has become increasingly repressive in recent months, refusing to grant permits for political demonstrations, arresting journalists and opposition leaders, and cracking down on political demonstrations. In addition to Sall's recent comments, these actions have fueled rumors that Sall is preparing to break with Senegal's relatively stable democratic system to extend his tenure.

• Senegal is one of the few West African countries that has not experienced a coup since gaining independence from France in 1960 and is broadly considered to have a relatively stable democracy.

Sonko's trial dates will likely trigger even greater demonstrations of resistance against the government, whereas indications that Sall intends to seek a third term could prompt a constitutional crisis. The semi-frequent opposition demonstrations that have brought Dakar and other Senegalese cities to a standstill over the last few years are likely to increase in cadence as the election nears, tensions continue to heighten and Sonko's trials proceed. If Sonko is sentenced to more than three months in prison during the defamation appeal trial or the rape trial, he will be ineligible to run for president, which would very likely lead to widespread violent unrest in the capital and smaller cities throughout the country. Meanwhile, Sall's candidacy also has the potential to trigger intense unrest and a constitutional crisis in one of West Africa's historically most stable countries. The questionable transparency of Senegalese courts means that Sall could receive judicial approval to amend the constitution to allow for three presidential terms and/or extended tenure. However, based on his previous statements that a third term would not be unconstitutional, it seems more likely that he would not pursue constitutional reform, instead skirting the question of legality and using police and security forces to suppress the opposition. This would likely spark a full-blown national crisis and create a longer-term domestic debate about the integrity of the Senegalese Constitution, which future governments may seek to amend to tighten perceived loopholes. Even if Sall does pursue another term and employs repressive measures, he is not guaranteed to win, as support for the opposition has been on the rise in response to what many Senegalese view as government abuses of power.

• The F24 invited members to mobilize on May 12 against the "unconstitutional candidacy of Macky Sall," which means that clashes between opposition demonstrators and police can be expected. 
• Even if Sall does not seek a third term, clashes and unrest are expected ahead of the election, given the Senegalese police forces' propensity to crack down on opposition demonstrations. 
• Every time Sonko is summoned to court, the government suspends traffic on the Dakar Dem Dikk bus service, bans the use of scooters and motorcycles, closes schools, and barricades opposition party officials into their homes.

 

Senegal, Anti-Imperialism and Pan Africanism with Guy Marius Sagna, Senegalese Member of Parliament & Activist on Pan African TV (Ghana)

 Pan African Television show "The Couch"  with Ama Pratt: In conversation with Guy Marius Sagna, leader of the FRAPP movement, opposition MP and member of PASTEF party, about Senegal and Africa (with full English translation). April 24 2023.

 

Click here to watch

Senegal: Police torture and brutalise arrested protesters - VIDEO

https://twitter.com/papealeniang/status/1649726737830359041

The Journalist Pape Ale Niang of Dakar Matin tweeted a shocking video capturing the moment when Senegalese police torture and brutalise arrested protesters in the town of Ngor. They were protesting over land siezure.

He comments: " In Ngor this is why the young people are fighting. They are being treated inhumanely and they are forced to resist their demands"

Some of the comments on the tweet are reproduced below:

• "What totalitarian immorality is it that some will come and tell us here that there is no dictatorship in Senegal,  frankly it is very humiliating in these images of brutality against the Senegalese youth. Long live the alternative in 2024."
•  "This is disproportionate (criminal and barbaric torture) use of force by agents who are responsible for law and order. It, is inadmissible! It's time for this to stop! To do this the Senegalese, including the members of the security forces must take their responsibilities before it is too late!"
• " Why are the police acting this way towards the demonstrators? This video should be shared as many times as possible. It is a criminal act. Instead of having more composure and control, they indulge in barbarism... Shame on these men!"
• " I'm afraid for Senegal how can they do this to civilians and what's saddest here those who have noble causes are the first to be arrested"
• "In Ngor we saw the police taking kids to use as human shields Israeli cooperation is making great strides"
• 
  
• "The Senegalese people demand the resignation of president Macky Sall and his government. Macky Sall is creating a dictatorship in Senegal. More than 600 young people in prison. Others killed by the gendarmes, police and militias of Macky Sall. Where are human rights?"

Armed pro-government militias open fire on Senegalese protesters: Adama Gueye veteran Senegalese journalist comments in English

 

 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.

                 

Footage of the incident:

 

 

https://twitter.com/KyaKyasadji8/status/1649757287739695107?s=20

Video of live ammunition found at the scene

 

https://twitter.com/KyaKyasadji8/status/1649757287739695107 

 

 

Adama Gueye,  veteran Senegalese journalist speaks out about his concerns over the incident (English version):

 

 

https://www.youtubetrimmer.com/view/?v=cS_PibWiids&start=5513&end=7211&loop=0

SENEGAL: Voices of Democracy, by Yassine Fall VP PASTEF in charge of International Affairs

 

Yassine Fall, the Vice President in charge of International Affairs of the  PASTEF opposition party in Senegal, gives an overview, in English,  of the state of affairs and the attack on democracy in Senegal today. Includes transalation  into English subtitles of the voices of major players in the Senegalese political scene

 

Voices of Democracy

Still silence on the Senegal COVID 19 Fund Scandal - the status quo prevails

 SENEPLUS 15/04/2023

While it continues to cause consternation among all Senegalese, the case of the mismanagement of Force Covid-19 funds does not seem to lead to any sanction or administrative measure so far. This is despite the fact that the public prosecutor's office has taken up the case and has initiated investigations at the level of the Criminal Investigation Division!

In his book entitled "On the Waves of Covid-19", published recently, the former director of the Centre for Emergency Health Operations (COUS), Dr Abdoulaye Bousso, has added a dark layer to the management of  Covid-19 funds. 

Dr Bousso,  who was at the heart of the COVID response, mentions in his book a purchase of non-medical pyjamas which, according to him, "are still stocked in storage unsued". Revealed by the Court of Auditors, the scandal linked to the management of Force Covid-19 funds had left the Senegalese speechless. 

In its report on expenditures made in 2020 and 2021 on the "Response Fund against the effects of Covid-19" amounting to more than CFAF 740 billion made public last December, (NOTE 1 billion cfa = $1,676,233)  the Court of Auditors denounced irregularities in the management of these funds. It said it had noted over-invoicing on the price of rice and hydro-alcoholic gels, a lack of "supporting documents" for expenses and the awarding of contracts, and expenses unrelated to the Covid, etc. The Court of Auditors therefore requested the opening of a judicial investigation against the incriminated officials.

 The controversy that swelled after the revelation of the scandal did not, in fact, leave the President of the Republic indifferent. Macky Sall reacted in Cabinet by "asking the Prime Minister to carefully examine the information published, the recommendations made and to take without delay the appropriate measures to enlighten the public on the elements contained in the said report with a view to follow-up".

On this, the Minister of Finance and Budget, Mamadou Moustapha Ba faced the press and assured that the government will follow up on the recommendations of the Court of Auditors while specifying that the "total amount of failures by the report amounts to 6 billion 686 million, 784 thousand 410 CFA francs, or 0.7 percent of the 1,000 billion injected into the Program of Economic and Social Resilience (PRESS), executed in disbursable expenses by the Treasury (628 billion) and non-disbursable (372 billion).

Despite these assurances from the government, civil society, the political class and the population are maintaining pressure to prevent this umpteenth report from being placed "under the elbow" of the President of the Republic (note: Macky Sall famously said in the past, when asked about the many internal audit reports exposing corruption, that hed had "put his elbow" on them, and in fact these never saw any further action). This time the Senegalese people want to ensure that justice is done in this matter. 

The Civil society organisations held a protest at the Place de la Nation. Two deputies, Guy Marius Sagna and the former Prime Minister Aminata Touré (who was later stripped of her position as a deputy), tabled a motion in parliament  for a resolution to impeach ten ministers. The collective "Sunu milliards dou ress" (trans: "Our billions will not be digested"), which was formed after the scandal was revealed, filed a complaint with the attorney general.

 After the mobilisation, the judiciary announced that it had ordered the opening of investigations into alleged cases of "corruption and abuse of office" in the management of the Covid-19 response fund. The case  was referred to the Criminal Investigation Division of the Judicial Police, said the public prosecutor Amady Diouf, in a statement. Speaking to the press on 23 March, the Attorney General Ibrahima Bakhoum said that the investigation is "ongoing" and that hearings have been held with a view to "shedding light" on the use of the funds.

However, today, the Senegalese are still hungry for the truth about the scandal in the management of Force Covid-19 funds. They are still waiting for the justice system, which seems to be much more prompt in political or private matters. (NOTE: i.e. when the Leader of the opposition is concerned the judicial system is fast tracked, but  when the President's brother -in-law, who is one of the most high profile people responsible for the funds, is concerned it is a different matter) .

So far, the case does not seem to lead to any sanctions or administrative measures. Could the report of the Court of Audit suffer the same fate as reports from other audit bodies? We are waiting to see.

 NOTE: It has been argued by some jurists that referral of the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department is a "backwards step" as the Court of Aditors has the power to, in their report, to go direct to the Attourney General for prosecution, having already carried our an investigation and interviewed all the people concerned. The Police can bring a case to the Court of Auditors for investigation. Therefore this can be an attempt to kick the case into the long grass"

All (NOTES) are by Senegal Concern Editors

Three Intellectual Giants Join the Call for Macky Sall to "Return to Reason"

Three famous ginants of the intellectual world, WOLE SOYINKA, NGŨGĨ WA THIONG'O and NOAM CHOMSKY have added their names to the petition calling on Senegal's president Macky Sall to "return to reason" and retore human rights in addition to increasing number worlkdwide.

 

 

 

WOLE SOYINKA JOINS THE MOVEMENT WARNING MACKY SALL
The famous Nigerian writer and director, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, has asked the initiators of the petition to be added to the list of signatories of the tribune published by SenePlus
EMEDIA | Publication 26/03/2023


Wole Soyinka has signed the petition and shares the platform of the 100 African intellectuals who are warning Macky Sall. According to our information, the famous Nigerian writer and director, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, has asked the initiators of the petition to be added among the signatories of the tribune published on March 21 by SenePlus.

Concerned about the situation in Senegal between "violation of rights and instrumentalization of justice", more than 100 intellectuals from Senegal and elsewhere have shared a petition with a common appeal to the President of the Republic, Macky Sall. They are teachers, journalists, stylists, sociologists, members of the sports association movement, among others. These intellectuals have taken up the cause, asking the Senegalese Head of State to come to his senses.

The winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, the first black author to be honoured, the Nigerian Wole Soyinka, confirmed to the initiators his wish to sign the declaration. "As he was travelling, he had not received the request for signature in time and it was only yesterday that he was able to read it and immediately asked to be added among the signatories of this tribune", says one of the initiators.

 

NGŨGĨ WA THIONG'O JOINS WOLE SOYINKA AND THE 104 TO DENOUNCE THE INSTRUMENTALISATION OF JUSTICE BY MACKY SALL

Kenyan writer, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, one of the most celebrated intellectuals on the African continent and in the world expressed his desire to be added to the list of signatories of the tribune of 104 who denounce the vehement and brutal instrumentalisation of Justice in Senegal by the current President of the Republic Macky Sall.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is a Kikuyu and English writer and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in the United States. He is currently a professor and director of the International Center for Writing and Translation at the University of California at Irvine.

Regularly mentioned in recent years as one of the favourites to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o joins Nigerian Wole Soyinka in the list of signatories, who announced on 23 March 2023 that he too was deeply concerned about the situation in Senegal due to the constant undermining of citizens' fundamental rights by Macky Sall's administration.

At a time when arrests of all kinds are continuing in Senegal and when several credible sources indicate that there are more than 520 political prisoners, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's commitment is a strong signal from the international intellectual community.

Much more than a renowned intellectual, Ngũgĩ is a freedom fighter and anti-neocolonial activist. Arrested in December 1977, his struggles for social justice led him to a Kenyan high-security prison for over a year. Locked up for 23 hours a day, he wrote his first novel in Kikuyu, "Devil on the Cross", on toilet paper. In the wake of this, he made the important decision to write mainly in his mother tongue, Kikuyu.

In 1962 he published his first novel in English, Weep not Child, which became a reference work. A playwright, essayist, novelist and short story writer, in 1986 he published a resounding collection of essays: Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature, published in French under the title Décoloniser l'esprit. This was the last book he wrote in English.  

James Gũgĩ at birth, he changed his name in 1977 and presented himself in public as an Afro-Saxon writer. His plays banned, his family harassed, himself threatened and hounded by the Kenyan authorities, he went into exile in London before settling in the United States where he taught at Yale Unviersity for 3 years, but also at Northwestern University and New York University (NYU).

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o joins a significant number of African and diaspora personalities who warn Macky Sall against his excesses and brutality. In addition to Wole Soyinka, Cornel West, Anthony Appiah, Sophie Bessis or Aminata Dramane Traoré, this tribune has been signed by professors from the diaspora, Sada Niang, University of Victoria, British Columbia and Samba Gadjigo, Mount Holyoke University, Massachusets.

NOAM CHOMSKY IN TURN CALLS OUT TO MACKY SALL

 "The greatest living intellectual", the famous American philosopher has just added his signature to those of Makhily Gassama, Kader Boye, Pierre Sané and Didier Awadi to denounce the instrumentalization of Justice in Senegal.

While the "Return to Reason" tribune has resonance in the four corners of the planet, a new major signature has been added to the list of those who denounce "a flagrant, repeated and disproportionate violation of citizens' rights but also the perpetuation of a constant effort to politically instrumentalise the judicial system by the administration of President Macky Sall".

On 5 April 2023, the great thinker Noam Chomsky expressed his willingness to sign this tribune published on SenePlus on 21 March 2023. This gesture clearly highlights the universality of the call to reason for the respect of human rights and dignity, including that of all Senegalese, at a time when the country is beating historical records of political imprisonment.

Noam Chomsky is a philosopher considered one of the greatest American thinkers of the 20th century. He is a professor emeritus at M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), founder of generative linguistics, considered the most important theory in theoretical linguistics in recent centuries. Father of the "Chomskyan Revolution", his work has significantly influenced all the world's research in the field of psychology. He worked in particular on children's language learning and on language learning tools.

Of the fifty or so books he has written, let us recall that it was in 1967, during the Vietnam War, that he published "Responsibilities of Intellectuals" to attack the intellectual class which, for the most part, remained attached to the cause of the American state in an unjust war of terror against civilians. He considers that intellectuals, because of their privileged access to knowledge, cannot but become involved in all battles in all countries of the world. Noam Chomsky advocates resistance to illegitimate forms of authority.

Chomsky has been prosecuted several times for his activism and is considered the "greatest living intellectual" according to a survey organised and published in 2005 by the British magazine Prospect and the American journal Foreign Policy. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he is also a fellow of the American National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical Society.

The 104 appeal continues to grow. More than a hundred new signatures have been added to those of Wole Soyinka, Cornel West, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and Anthony Appiah, not to mention the important new signatures of literary critic Makhily Gassama, former UCAD rector Kader Boye, former Amnesty International secretary general Pierre Sané and musician and artist Didier Awadi.

Read the full text of the Petition and all the 104 signatories (including additional ones in the comments here

Other additional signatories since the above publication:

 - Franck Hermann Ekra, art critic, Abidjan
- Falilou Ndiaye, Former Secretary General SAES", Dakar
- Ka Mamadou Mourtalla . University Professor, Senegal
- Makhtar Diouf, economist, former professor at UCAD, Dakar
- Doudou Sidibé, teacher-researcher at Gustave Eiffel University, Paris
- Lionel Legros, historian, professor, New York
- Moussa SAGNA, teacher-researcher, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences
- Pierre Sané, former Secretary General of Amnesty International
- Makhily Gassama, former Cultural Advisor to President L. Sédar Senghor
- Khodja Sy- Filmmaker, artist, digital creator, New York
- Cheickh Badiane, senior United Nations official, Geneva
- Hermann-Habib Kibangou, sociologist, doctoral student, writer, Laval University, Quebec
- M. Mourtala T. Mboup, Expert in Public Policy Evaluation, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Ousmane N. Nathaniel Niang (designer of the clothing brand Nittu Dëgg and founding member of the citizen movement of the same name)
- Ms. Aminata Kassambara, Socio-Educ at the EPI, State of Geneva
- Professor Samba Gadjigo, Mount Holyoke University, Massachussets
- Professor Sada Niang, University of Victoria, British Columbia.
- Bara Ndiaye, Lecturer and researcher at the Warmie and Mazury University in Olsztyn, Poland
- Pape Bakary Cissoko Philosopher and trainer Paris
- Mariame Dia Economist Dakar
- Amadou Dia, P.Eng. Director Project Office, Canada
- Alioune Sall, University Professor, Lawyer.
- Dr Moustapha Kamal Gueye, former Prytanée Militaire de Saint-Louis, senior UN official in Geneva
- Dr hab. Bara Ndiaye UWM Olsztyn Poland, I join this Appeal
- Macodou Ndiaye historian, philosopher, journalist, Paris
- Didier Awadi, musician, artist, Dakar
- Marc Alexandre Oho Bambe, poet, writer, Lille
- Souhayr Belhassen, Honorary President of the International Federation for Human Rights
- André Ribeiro, designer
- Khalil BOYE, community development actor and member of the political dialogue commission (experts' pole)
- Rabaa Abdelkefi, university professor, Tunisia
- Sana Ben Achour professor at the Faculty of Legal Sciences and feminist activist, Tunisia
- Lotfi Madani consultant Algeria,
- Prof. Alassane DIEDHIOU, vice-rector, Assane Seck University of Ziguinchor
- Serigne Touba Mbacké Gueye, Associate Professor, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
- Thierno Diouf, Geographer, Belgium
- Cheikh Anta Babou, Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania
- NenéLou - Sociologist, Writer, Social Development Expert
- Tony Cisse - Trade Unionist (UNISON) and Youth Worker - London UK

Add your name (in comments box) HERE

Senegal gas project drives locals to desperation

 Africanews & Agencies

 

 

For years, residents of the small fishing town of Saint-Louis in Senegal have been struggling. Climate change, foreign industrial trawlers and the COVID-19 pandemic have made it hard to earn a living on the water.

When officials announced a new gas project off the coast in 2015, the community was hopeful it would bring new opportunities. Instead, many locals say, the gas has only brought a wave of problems and pushed people to desperation. That includes forcing some women to turn to prostitution to support their families, they told The Associated Press in interviews.

Four women who shared their stories said they started working as prostitutes because their husbands, all fishermen, could no longer make a living after the gas deal came to town and the rig restricted access to fertile fishing areas, known locally as diattara. The women all said they knew of several other women in the same position.

The women spoke on condition of anonymity because their families do not know what they do. Prostitution is legal in Senegal, but the women do not want to register, citing cultural shame.

For them, prostitution is faster and more reliable than working in a shop or restaurant — jobs that do not pay well and can be hard to find.

The deal — planned by a partnership among global gas and oil giants BP and Kosmos Energy, and Senegal and Mauritania’s state-owned oil companies — is expected to produce around 2.3 million tons of liquified natural gas a year, and Mauritania and trying to benefit the wider economy by locally sourcing products, developing the workforce and supporting sustainable development.

More than 3,000 jobs in some 350 local companies have been generated in Senegal and Mauritania, according to BP. The company also cited its work to renovate the maternity unit at the Saint-Louis hospital and its help of 1,000 patients with a mobile clinic operating in remote areas.

In a statement, Kosmos spokesman Thomas Golembeski, said the project will provide a source of low-cost natural gas and expand access to reliable, affordable, and cleaner energy. He also cited access to a micro-finance credit fund established for the fishing community.

“I pray that this ends, because it’s not what I want to do from the bottom of my heart. I do it for my children,” one mother said, her shoulders hunched and voice weary in a hotel room where she would not be seen by her husband or friends.

Traditionally, many women make a living processing fish, while the men catch it; sons, husbands and fathers spend weeks at sea. But with the restrictions, families could not feed their children or pay rent.

In some cases, families had to pull their children out of school or switch them from private to public schools where the teachers don't show up for days.

BP and Kosmos did not respond to questions about the women turning to prostitution.

They also did not respond to questions about whether they stood by their initial risk assessment of the project, which acknowledged in a 2019 environmental and social impact assessment that there were “a lot of uncertainties around the consequences for Saint-Louis fishermen” but still considered the intensity of the impact to be low.

The local government said people's concerns about the rig were overblown and that the community needs to be patient, at least until after production, which is expected to start by the end of this year.

Papa Samba Ba, the director of hydrocarbons for Senegal’s Petroleum and Energy Ministry, said the objective is that by 2035 half of all gas projects will go to local companies and services.

Local officials have acknowledged an increase in prostitution in Saint-Louis, but they attribute it to economic woes and widespread poverty in general — not directly to the gas project.

***AP***

Financial partners (G50) strong recommendations to Senegal

 7 April 2023 (source: APS)

G50 headed by Jean Marc Pisani (EU Ambassador) warned Senegal that its must improved the social and political situation before the 'INVEST SENEGAL' event in June 2023 in 3 points: 

- The G50 is still waiting for the release of the annual accounts from 2018 to 2021 as well as the public money management report of 2020 and 2021. They first made the request in January 2023. 

- Also, following the publication of the Covid 19 report last year and the embezzlement of the funds, the Group wanted to have an updated on the investigation of this enormous scandal. 

- Last but not least, Jean Marc Pisani stressed about the political and social within a year of the presidential race. All signs are red and that can have a very negative impact for investors. We accounted for 3 dead people following the court case involving the Minister Mame Mbaye Niang to the main political opponent Ousmane Sonko. 

Mr Pisani strongly recommended dialogue between all parties for a peaceful and inclusive election in the next presidential race in February 2024. This is according to him the best solution in order to preserve the rule of Law in Senegal.  

 

URGENT Message to Resident Diplomatic Representatives in Senegal from Pape Ale Niang

 Dakar Matin - 29/03/2023

 

Dear diplomats, 

You pride yourself on being « friends of Senegal ». For a long time you have observed Senegal going straight towards chaos. So much has it become fertile ground for non-respect of the basic rights of democracy, of human rights. 

Fundamental freedoms are flouted in full view of everyone. From now on it is the dictatorial forfeiture in broad daylight without restraint and without shame. 

You know it and you see it every day. 

• Do you consider normal the conditions under which the leader of Pastef was brought to court by manu-militari? 
• Do you consider it normal that Sonko is sequestered in his home without any court decision or legal basis. 

The Senegalese live this dictatorial forfeiture in a stoic way and intend to fight to put an end to it. At the same time our « dear friends » take pleasure in a culpable and complicit silence. 

You can perfectly use your empty diplomatic formulas like « We are paying particular attention to the worrying political situation in Senegal ». But radio silence. 

Obviously the strategy of distilled terror seems to have reached you

#papealeniang
#dakarmatin
#ambassadefrance
#USEmbassy
#ONU
#CPI
#RFI