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Senegal protests: President Wade in limbo!
Tuesday, 22 March 2011 13:18
JollofNews - President Abdoulaye Wade may have survived last Saturday’s protests but the thousands of angry
Senegalese who poured out into the streets of Dakar sure have reasons to celebrate.Despite the government’s initial reluctance to allow the protests to go on, the people’s display of determination forced it to reconsider any plans the authorities might have had to disrupt it. At the end of the day, the people’s wish prevailed, and by all indications, their message was heard - loud and clear!
Wade’s proposal for a dialogue with the opposition is testimony to this.
According to reports, the Senegalese president has invited his political opponents to a meeting scheduled for next Friday. Wade also proposed the setting up of a commission bringing together his opponents and members of his party to serve as some sort of a watchdog on the country’s democratic process.
"I am not against dialogue,” the president was quoted saying on Saturday, at a parallel rally organized by his supporters in commemoration of his ascension to power eleven years ago. He assured that the planned joint committee will have as much members from the opposition as from his own party.
However, the opposition was quick to reject Mr Wade’s offer of friendship.
"What interests us is a smooth electoral process,” Abdoulaye Bathily, leader of the opposition Democratic League was quoted responding on behalf of the opposition coalition Bennoo Siggil Sénegaal.
Media and politics
To the outside world, Saturday’s protests may have been inspired by opposition politicians, given its domineering political underlining, but in Senegal, one man is credited for it, Islamic Religious leader cum media entrepreneur, Sidy Lamine Niasse.Mr Niass’ role in those protests have brought to light something that is rarely discussed, the role of the media, beyond merely amplifying public’s view on the constitution, in practically organizing against threats to democracy.
Niass’ steadfastness in standing against the Senegalese government, it must be added, in a way is also highly suggestive of the level of maturity of the country’s democracy, a country where your line of trade doesn’t matter when it comes to expressing once constitutionally guaranteed rights, where the people leave virtually no room for hypocrisy in politics. All this is partly thanks to a highly vibrant independent press, of which Niass plays an enormous role as founder of the influential Walfadjri multimedia group.
Niass has been praised for accomplishing what opposition political figures had found almost impossible to do for a long time. Using his overwhelming media power, he mobilized thousands of people who gathered on Senegal’s Independence Square, dubbed ‘Tahrir Square’, a few hundred meters away from the presidential palace, to express their dissatisfaction to the president and his regime. In fact it was his call for a vigil at Senegal’s ‘Tahrir Squire’ that inspired the rest of the three main groups of anti-government demonstrators that changed the atmosphere in Dakar last Saturday.
Given their proximity to the presidential palace, Wade was sure to have heard the protesters message. Apart from his eventual concessionary pronouncement, the manner of handling of security, despite the heavy presence of security personnel on the protest grounds, can attest to this as well.
Additionally, reports early Monday by Leral.net indicate that President Wade has gone further to extend an invitation to the Walf boss, for a discussion at the presidential palace.
Another Senegalese newspaper critical of the Wade regime, Politicosn.com reported on its Monday edition that the president’s men, a day before the protests, tried in vain to wheedle Mr Niass from going ahead with is plan.
“For 11 years, he disconnected himself from us. But with this protests, with the determination and anger in the faces of the demonstrators, I think the president will now understand that he is the most unpopular man in this country,” one angry protester told Radio Netherlands in Dakar on Saturday.
That statement sums up the general feeling of many if not all of the people who went out on Saturday to protest against Wade and his government.
Saturday’s events were broadcast live on radio and television of the Walfadjri group. And the entirety of the Senegalese press did give it deserving coverage, both before and after.
Apart from isolated reports of violence, with one young supporter of the ruling party said to have been beaten up by members of the opposition Socialist party, the week end events went generally peaceful. And even if no one thought of it, Interior Minister Ousman Ngum was sure of giving a fair share of the praise the country’s security who largely ensured this by not interfering in the people’s way.
United Opposition
Even though they did not initiate the protests, Senegal’s opposition leaders took great advantage of the opportunity to send home their own message in anticipation of coming elections.
Thousands of activists of the opposition coalition Benno Siggil Senegaal accompanied their leaders in protests, brandishing placards bearing various messages condemnatory of the government and its policies.
Some of them dressed in red, symbolizing a longstanding resistance against the Wade regime, the anti-government opposition demonstrators chanted slogans like ‘Defa doy, Wollof for enough’s enough, reported the Senegalese Press Agency.
Present were leaders of all the major opposition parties, including Ousmane Tanor Dieng of the Socialist Party, Moustapha Niasse of Alliance of Progressive Forces, Abdoulaye Bathily of the Democratic League, and Landing Savane of AJ / PADS.
''Today is a great day. In 2000, we took thousands of miles hoping that our country would go forward in democratic terms, in terms of ideas,” said Mr Bathily.
But, he added, “In 10 years, what did we see? Our country has declined on all fronts.''
Bathily was among those who accompanied President Wade all the way to his first term (2000-2007) as president. He recalled the Senegalese mobilizing en masse across the country, and their case heard then.
Eleven years on, he now wants Wade out.
“The mobilization must continue through 2012'', he stressed, only that this time round he meant the Senegalese people to say to Wade that “enough is enough” and call on him to step down.
“Benno will unite and turn the prediction of those who foresee the opposition collapsing into a mere dream,” he vowed.
“I invited Niasse and Ousmane Tanor Dieng and other leaders to join me on the podium to show that the unity of Benno is a reality,'' he added.
Also notable was the presence of Ali Haidar, a Senegalese of Lebanese origin well noted for his criticizing of the Wade regime. Haidara compared Wade to Tunisia’s Ben Ali and Egypt’s Mubarak.
The youth
The youth of Senegal have always competed with the elderly when it comes to issues of national matter. Last Saturday’s protests were no different.
The participation of the Y Movement, comprising a group of young rappers, was symbolic in this.
Demonstrations in the diaspora
The diaspora Senegalese community remains a strong and fiercely vocal constituency among opponents of President Wade. And not being in Dakar was no excuse for them not to express their voices alongside their compatriots back home on Saturday.
Hundreds of Senegalese came out in the French capital, holding placards with various messages expressing frustration with the regime in Dakar.
They condemned rampant corruption, nepotism of the leader and president Abdoulaye WADE and called for transparency for elections in 2012.
If anything, the week end events in Senegal conveyed one overriding message: that allowing for occasional expression of grievance by the masses strengthens a government’s position more than it could pose any danger to it.
However, for Wade, Saturday’s events may have sent a discouraging message – if the post demonstration analysis are anything to go by, he might as well consider changing his strategies for his controversial bid for 2012 presidential election.
Written by Kemo Cham
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Comments
People around the world are moving forward while Jammeh and his stupid mentality is keeping the country stagnant.
I think Gambians are exposed to a certain extent of what is happening in the world.The only reason they are not acting is fear.It is now time to overcome that fear because without freedom there is no dignity.It is time to demand our freedom and not wait for Jammeh to give it to us.
has anyone thought of the fact that this is among the reason why Jammeh doesn't want a free press? Can you imagine if Gambians are exposed to this what it would be like? But the Senegalese fought for it, it didn't not just happen on its own.
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