Senegal’s Opposition Worried Democratic Tradition Crumbling
January 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment
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With its reputation for fair elections
and peaceful transitions of power, Senegal is often hailed as model
democracy in West Africa. Senegalese are scheduled to vote in less than
a month to elect a new president. But on Saturday, police cracked down
on a major political march by the opposition, and now there are
concerns that the country’s democratic reputation is being tarnished.
For VOA, Jordan Davis reports from Dakar.
Political marches in Senegal are relatively
common. Most are uneventful. But a mass march organized by opposition
parties Saturday in Dakar was a different story. Authorities initially
banned it, citing public safety. But opposition leaders decided to hold
the demonstration anyway, and the authorities responded.
Police in riot gear fired tear gas canisters, and hit demonstrators
with batons. Authorities dragged away and briefly detained opposition
leaders, many of them candidates who plan to run against President
Abdoulaye Wade next month.
A witness to the police crackdown, human rights observer Sidiki Kaba, said he was sad for the state of Senegal’s democracy.
Kaba, who is with the Paris-based International Federation for Human
Rights, said the country has made a lot of progress, but now appears to
be slipping backward.
hen Mr. Wade was elected president in 2000, those
elections were viewed as a symbol of the advances democracy had made in
Senegal.
The ruling socialists conceded defeat and handed over power to Mr.
Wade and the liberal PDS party — a peaceful transition rarely seen in
the region. The international community congratulated Senegal for its
commitment to the rule of law.
But that commitment to the rule of law is less clear, opposition
groups say, as the 80-year-old Mr. Wade is set to face the voters in a
month.
In fact, Saturday’s opposition march was originally called to protest the repeated postponement of legislative elections.
They were first canceled in 2005, when Mr. Wade said the country could not afford them in the wake of massive flooding.
Then, several weeks ago, the parliamentary vote set to coincide with
the upcoming presidential elections was delayed yet again when the
country’s high court ruled that the electoral map drawn up by the
ruling party was biased.
Moussa Taye, with the Socialist Party, says many worry Mr. Wade does
not want to hold elections because the economy is not good and that may
cost him votes.
"Democracy means elections," he said. "But when the elections are
postponed, sometimes we are afraid that the elections will be canceled."
In response to growing rumors in newspapers that the government
wants to delay the presidential vote, the ruling PDS party told
reporters it fully supports the February 25 vote going forward as
scheduled.
The ruling party has been criticized for changing rules to benefit
Mr. Wade. It pushed through parliament a measure dropping the
requirement that turnout be above 50 percent for a winning presidential
candidate to avoid going to a runoff.
That change was made just a few months before scheduled presidential
elections, despite a good-governance agreement among the Economic
Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, not to change election
rules six months before a poll.
Moussa Taye said, "Abdoulaye Wade who is a member of ECOWAS and who
tries to organize peace and another constitution in Guinea and other
parts of Africa, in his own country cannot organize clear elections."
Kissy Agyeman, an analyst with London-based Global Insight, says,
the atmosphere ahead of elections next month is somewhat troubling.
But, she says, it is not too late for Senegal to save its democratic reputation.
"I think that if the elections do come off at the slated time, the
25th of February, then Senegal can hold on to this idea that it is a
democratic nation. But I think it is going to be a little blighted by
the fact that the legislatives [legislative elections] have been
postponed," she said.
Ultimately, says Agyeman, damage to Senegal’s international
reputation probably will not be too serious. The country is popular
with international donors largely because it is considered a bastion of
stability in a troubled region.
She said, "Countries such as Guinea, Cote D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia. They all have much more pressing problems."
"So I think it is quite possible that the elections could go, not
unnoticed, I wouldn’t say that, but it will not get the same kind of
attention. Because there is this sort of preconceived idea that Senegal
will be fine," Agyeman added.
Technorati Tags: Senegal, Election, Hip-Hop, Youth, Rap, BBC, NPR, Nomadic, Wax, Notable, Hip-Hop, Documentary, Film, Herson, Cantor, Mcilvaine, Hip-Hop, Democracy, Globalization, Africa, Islam, West Africa, Revolution, New Media, Global Hip-Hop, African Hip-Hop, Benny Beats, Idrissa Seck
Sen Kumpa - Niawal - Video
January 27, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Technorati Tags: Senegal, Election, Hip-Hop, Youth, Rap, BBC, NPR, Nomadic, Wax, Notable, Hip-Hop, Documentary, Film, Herson, Cantor, Mcilvaine, Hip-Hop, Democracy, Globalization, Africa, Islam, West Africa, Revolution, New Media, Global Hip-Hop, African Hip-Hop, Benny Beats, Sen Kumpa
Senegal police crush opposition election protest
January 27, 2007 | Leave a Comment
DAKAR, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Senegalese riot police beat opposition
leaders with batons and fired tear gas at a crowd of protestors
demonstrating against President Abdoulaye Wade ahead of presidential
elections next month.
A group of around 50 police baton-charged protestors and arrested at
least six leaders of opposition parties at the march to demand free and
fair polls in the West African state. The demonstration had been
banned on Friday by authorities in Senegal, where the Feb. 25 election
has raised tensions in a country regarded as a democratic bastion in a
region infamous for civil wars and military coups. Wade, 80, remains
favourite to retain power at next month’s polls. "Wade go! Wade go!" chanted protestors before they were dispersed by police.
Dozens of demonstrators scattered through the shabby backstreets of
Dakar’s poor Medina neighbourhood pursued by riot police, as clouds of
tear gas drifted through the air. "What has happened today is
shameful. It is President Wade who said if you are angry you can
march," said Ousmane Fall, 20, an accountant. "Look what is happening
here. They are beating and firing tear gas at the leaders of our
country." Wade, himself a former opposition leader, has been
strongly criticised by his opponents for jailing political rivals and
repeatedly postponing legislative elections, amid concerns his
coalition could lose its majority.
To see original article click here!
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Depths of Dakar - Now Online!
January 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The long awaited - AFRICAN UNDERGROUND: DEPTHS OF DAKAR is now officially online as a digital exclusive on Calabash Music! Check the tracks below and enjoy! Looking forward to presenting you with the up to date, on the street, day by day action live from Dakar in February!
Technorati Tags: Senegal, Election, Hip-Hop, Youth, Rap, BBC, NPR, Nomadic, Wax, Notable, Hip-Hop, Documentary, Film, Herson, Cantor, Mcilvaine, Hip-Hop, Democracy, Globalization, Africa, Islam, West Africa, Revolution, New Media, Global Hip-Hop, African Hip-Hop, Benny Beats, Calabash Music
Senegal’s ex-PM snubs media
January 24, 2007 | Leave a Comment
24 January -
The former
Prime Minister of Senegal remains tight-lipped over the details of his
reconciliation tête-à-tête with President Abdoulaye Wade, despite
promises to brief the media about it on Tuesday. Idrissa Seck, a
popular opposition figure and promising presidential candidate,
according to President Wade had rejoined the ruling party.
But he decides to snub the news-hungry
journalists who remain adamant in their quest to unearth his
unexplained reasons for making a ruling party comeback, especially at
an unexpected time. He had postponed his scheduled news conference sine
die.
President Wade, who is described as a political dinosaur in Senegal, is
luring his political opponents into his ruling Parti Democratique
Senegalaise (PDS) camp one by one. He left people with open mouths on
Monday when he announced that one of his main challengers in the 25
February presidential elections, Idrissa Seck, agreed to sacrifice his
new party, Rewmi and rejoined the PDS.
Mr Seck, the third Prime Minister of the Wade government, was sacked
from his post and jailed for over six months after he was accused of
being corrupt and threatening state security. He was however later
cleared of the charges brought against him.
The ex-PM had all along seen himself as the victim of political
vendetta because his problems with his political father, President
Wade, started immediately he had declared his intention to run
President in 2007 while still serving as Prime Minister.
President Wade is making good use of Mr Seck’s example to urge on the party’s many disintegrated old members to follow suit.
Yesterday, two veteran opposition leaders - Morr Fada Diagne and Jean
Paul Dias of Waar wi ("the Field") coalition and Block Centrisea Gaindé
(BCG) - who had been old members of Mr Wade’s party announced their
reconciliation with the aging President.
Mr Dias was one of the earliest members of PDS but later parted and
created BCG. He was twice jailed by the Wade government, the last for
purportedly threatening President Wade.
Mr Fada on the other hand was a very close political ally of Idrissa
Seck and even became Minister of Environment when the latter was Prime
Minister. He slid back from power when Mr Seck was sacked.
"We discussed in the presence of our delegations," Mr Dias said,
emphasising that their common interest was to defend the interest of
Senegal in general, especially when it faces several problems.
He said since they all belong to one country, there is need for them to
protect the interest of their nation. Thus, political unity was needed
ahead of elections.
It is reported that Mr Fada was lured by President Wade through the
intervention of Madické Niang, current Minister for Energy, Industries
and Mining. Political analysts believed that gauging from his tone, it
would not be difficult for him to return to Mr Wade, the man he had
been supporting since he was 19 years of age. "They are like a father
and son," Dakar resident Mr Tall told afrol News.
By staff writer
Technorati Tags: Senegal, Election, Hip-Hop, Youth, Rap, BBC, NPR, Nomadic, Wax, Notable, Hip-Hop, Documentary, Film, Herson, Cantor, Mcilvaine, Hip-Hop, Democracy, Globalization, Africa, Islam, West Africa, Revolution, New Media, Global Hip-Hop, African Hip-Hop, Benny Beats, Idrissa Seck
Opposition star joins Senegal’s ruling party
January 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
22 January -
Idrissa Seck, the sacked Prime Minister of Senegal and the most well-known
presidential contester, today accepted to join the ruling Parti
Democratique Senegalaise (PDS) of President Abdoulaye Wade. The
development is described as a major victory for PDS to consolidate its
powers in both the upcoming presidential and legislative elections.
The news was announced by President
Wade after he held a lengthy closed-door meeting with Mr Seck at Dakar
Statehouse. "Idrissa Seck has accepted to come back to PDS and continue
his good works," President Wade said, describing Mr Seck as a genuine
and clean person.
Mr Seck is expected to detail the press on his side of the story on Tuesday.
A prominent religious leader of the influential Tidiania brotherhood in
Senegal, El-hadj Abdul Aziz Sey, was said to have brokered peace
between Mr Wade and his former right hand man.
Mr Sey, 70, said, "I was concerned about the peace and stability of the
nation that was why I held separate talks with Wade and Seck, asking
them to bury the hatchet. Senegal has lost a lot of important people
this year. We should therefore consolidate our peace building through
dialogue."
He said he was delighted that the country’s two most prominent
political heavyweights accepted his demands and decided to mend fences
in the interest of fostering peace. "As Muslims, we are duty bound to
broker peace between people before it turns into something awful. Then
it would be too late. I believe in the words of former President
Senghor that through dialogue, our differences would be solved."
In 2004, thus-PM Seck was sacked by President Wade after he was accused
of financial malpractices. He was arrested and spent over nine months
in prison.
But Mr Seck has always maintained his innocence. It is believed that
his troubles with the Wade government started after he had publicly
declared his intention to run for President in 2007 while still serving
as a Prime Minister.
His close friends and associates have also been arrested and detained.
One of them, a renowned contractor, Bara Tall, has been languishing in
detention for more than two months now.
Mr Seck, a popular politician in the capital and his home town of Thies
region, coined a new party called Rewmi, meaning The Nation in Wollof
language. But this party was not allowed to register because it had
failed to satisfy the constitutional requirement.
Consequently, he was forced to strike coalition with other political parties.
Since the news broke out, a lot of people in the capital Dakar have
been using airwaves to celebrate the reconciliation between Senegal’s
two most prominent politicians.
To see original article click here!
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BBC - The World - Special on Senegalese Hip-Hop and Politics
January 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Click the image below to hear Rose Skelton’s report on hip-hop, youth and politics in BBC’s - The World!
Technorati Tags: Senegal, Election, Hip-Hop, Youth, Rap, BBC, NPR, Nomadic, Wax, Notable, Hip-Hop, Documentary, Film, Herson, Cantor, Mcilvaine, Hip-Hop, Democracy, Globalization, Africa, Islam, West Africa, Revolution, New Media, Global Hip-Hop, African Hip-Hop, Benny Beats, Marco Werman, Rose Skelton, The World
Senegalese parliamentary polls put off indefinitely
January 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Dakar, Senegal, 01/13 -
Parliamentary elections originally scheduled 25 February have been postponed indefinitely, according to interior minister Ousmane Ngom.
But Ngom said the first round of presidential polls originally planned simultaneously with the parliamentary elections would proceed on 25 February.
Speaking at a media conference here Friday, Ngom said the decision was made by the State Council which also increased the parliamentary seats to 150.
The minister said a new date will be announced through a presidential decree, affirming that the first round of the presidential election will take place as scheduled.
The decree calling for the parliamentary elections and published on 8 December, was cancelled following an appeal made to the State Council by two opposition parties- the Socialist Party (PS) and the Democratic League/Movement for the Labour Party (LD/MPT).
The parties had complained about President Abdoulaye Wade`s failure to comply with population density of constituencies in the distribution of seats at the National Assembly.
Original article here.
Technorati Tags: Senegal, Election, Hip-Hop, Youth, Rap, BBC, NPR, Nomadic, Wax, Notable, Hip-Hop, Documentary, Film, Herson, Cantor, Mcilvaine, Hip-Hop, Democracy, Globalization, Africa, Islam, West Africa, Revolution, New Media, Global Hip-Hop, African Hip-Hop, Benny Beats
Presidential decree repealed in Senegal
January 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Dakar, Senegal
The Council of State in Senegal Friday repealed the presidential decree on the breakdown of the 90 seats in the national assembly ahead of the legislative elections scheduled on 25 February simultaneously with the presidential poll.
President Abdoulaye Wade issued the decree on 18 December, but opposition parties, especially the Socialist Party (PS) and the Democratic League/Movement for Labour Party (LD/MPT), appealed to the Council of State to denounce the failure to comply with the demographic weight of the various electoral constituencies in the distribution of the number of seats.
The presidential decree, which includes some iniquities, according to some observers, gave a higher number of MPs to elect to some areas known as favourable to the ruling Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) than more populated opposition-dominated areas.
With this decision by the Council of State, the parties and party coalitions, which have recently deposited their lists of candidates to the Interior Ministry fear that the polls be postponed since the 60-day time period imposed by the electoral law to validate the decree cannot be complied with anymore.
Original article here.
Technorati Tags: Senegal, Election, Hip-Hop, Youth, Rap, BBC, NPR, Nomadic, Wax, Notable, Hip-Hop, Documentary, Film, Herson, Cantor, Mcilvaine, Hip-Hop, Democracy, Globalization, Africa, Islam, West Africa, Revolution, New Media, Global Hip-Hop, African Hip-Hop, Benny Beats
Senegal delays parliamentary polls for second time
January 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment
DAKAR (Reuters) - Senegal postponed legislative elections for the second time on Friday after the West African country’s highest court overruled a presidential decree changing the way in which parliamentary seats were shared out.
The former French colony’s constitutional court upheld an opposition appeal to a decree from President Abdoulaye Wade which had altered the number of representatives in parliament for each of the country’s regions.
The decision meant the legislative elections, which were due to have been held on February 25, would have to be pushed back to a date to be set later, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
Presidential elections, also due on February 25, were unaffected by the move and would go ahead as planned, it said.
The parliamentary polls were originally set for May 2006, but Wade pushed them back in 2005 after Senegal’s worst rains in decades destroyed thousands of homes. He said the postponement would save money which could be used to aid flood victims.
The opposition said that delay was anti-constitutional and accused the country’s octogenarian leader of trying to buy time because he feared he would lose his parliamentary majority.
Since independence from France in 1960, Senegal has emerged as an oasis of stability in a region infamous for military takeovers and civil wars.
But cracks have started to emerge in its democratic credentials as opponents have accused Wade of trying to tighten his grip on power.
He is widely regarded as favourite to win the presidential vote but faces a challenge from his former protege and one-time prime minister Idrissa Seck, whose candidacy has sent shock waves through the ruling party.
Several opposition figures have been detained in recent months, including one who was sentenced to six months in jail for questioning whether Wade would be too old to govern if re-elected in February. He has since been released.
© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.
Original article here.