Senegal police crush opposition election protest
January 27, 2007
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.
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