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Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 16:21:25
1. Revelations about the Casamance conflict: Robert Sagna speaks
 
Friday, January 17, 2014
APP PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATION AND GOOGLE ASSISTED FRENCH TO ENGLISH TRANSLATED NEWS WITH FOLLOWING REPORT BY ALY FALL:
The former mayor of Ziguinchor and Minister of the time the (Party) Socialists were in power confided yesterday, in the newspaper (journal) The Daily, relative to the Casamance folder. Robert Sagna broke the silence, and was straightforward on revelations Of the Movement of Democratic Forces for the Casamance (MFDC), to the money often disbursed from the (Presidential) Palace through the involvement of the Italian organization Sant'Egidio.
More than once, Robert Sagna refused to talk to the Casamance conflict. More than once, he refuted the nickname "Mr. Casamance" of the shadow, to avoid the label of a bearer of suitcases (or bearer of luggage) for the rebels. But this time, the former Socialist minister and former mayor of Ziguinchor has decided to break the silence. He decided to talk about the conflict in Casamance, or at least what he knows
The Daily which has seized the opportunity, to get to the bottom of the heart, on a case of 7 million francs he would receive monthly from The Presidential Palace for the rebels. It seems, given the opportunity to make the point on the peace process in Casamance and the role that it is playing with the eponymous reflection group namesake "GRPC", of about thirty rich members, (that are) unpaid, and whose commitment to peace in Casamance is a priesthood. It is precisely at a time of a meeting with this group for reflection he received yesterday evening (with) The Daily, in its neighborhoods of Dakar.
From the outset, it was pointed out that his involvement for peace goes back to many years ago, before the advent of Macky Sall in power. "When Macky Sall asked me to help restore peace in Casamance, I naturally accepted his demand", he explained. Now, with (the reflection group namesake "GRPC"), he said, he still seek solutions to ultimately submit to the belligerents. And about the focus group, including one active part in Casamance and the other part in Dakar, he said that there are frameworks across the country and not the smallest or least. ""I can give you examples of former ministers and directors, short of high-level personalities (VIPs)", he reassures. Sometimes the two parts of "GRPC" find themselves in plenary to discuss all advanced (issues), but also bottlenecks in order to define positions to adopt.
"The reasons for the lull noted (or recorded) in recent years"
For Robert Sagna, there is no doubt that the lull observed these past three years is dependent on the "significant progress" recorded on the ground. "We are in contact with the various heads (of warlords) and we are striving to win their pledges, (commitment) to establish these relationships of trust, because it is only from this mutual trust, that we can come to an agreement on principles", indicated by the former mayor of Ziguinchor. According to him, it is because they are unable to help the rebels but (because they manage) by financing (certain of) their activities, they obtain from them this peace, even if it is very precarious.
Robert Sagna said that both in the bush and in Europe, they try to bring the maximum positions. This is the same and for the needs of a trip to Europe, to meet with the diaspora, that the head of State has given them the sum of 7 million CFA francs, to cover the expenditure related to airline tickets, to hotel expenses or even to the rental of conference room. It also happened in the past, said Mr. Sagna, they seek Macky Sall, to urgent situations, for example to finance seminars for the fighters in the direction of harmonizing their positions before meeting the state around a negotiating table.
"Why We received 7000000 Macky Sall ..."
Only, said Robert Sagna, the difficulties of approaching the rebel factions are real, for the good and simple reason that Salif Sadio is still not able to make peace with the other three warlords that are Compasse (or "Stuffy") Diatta, Caesar Atoute Badiate and a Lamarana. There are today four rebel leaders who want to mark their territory and who want to persuade their interlocutors (envoys or partners) of their key positions in the search for peace in Casamance.
Everyone wanting to show its position of strength, their approximation becomes problematic, still regret Robert Sagna, also leader of a political party.
"These are 80% of the "maquis" (guerrillas, underground resistance or rebels) who work with us"
Most recently, The Daily reflected a meeting in Bissau and that led to a peace treaty between Caesar and Ibrahima Atoute Badiate Compasse ("Stuffy") Diatta. These two rebel leaders now agree to go together in negotiations with the State, just as the appointed Lamarana, which also holds a powerful rebel camp in Diakaye in Bignona. The most difficult of gathering Compasse ("Stuffy") Diatta and Caesar Atoute Badiate was done, but it remains the case Salif Sadio who no longer trust the other rebel leaders who had once tried to liquidate, when he was based in the Guinea-Bissau border. Now that he is cut off to the Gambia with his men, it seems difficult to rally to the cause of the other heads.
The other problem, notes Robert Sagna, is that the Italian organization Sant'Egidio, known for its international mediation missions, speaks with Salif Sadio, ignoring the fact (that there are) other rebel leaders. This is not the taste of "GRPC" and other stakeholders in the conflict, who wished that everyone is put on the same (or equal) footing. In the opinion of Robert Sagna, Sant'Egidio would benefit from speaking with all the rebel leaders, all the more that the other three alone represent 80% of the combatants on the ground and they are working tirelessly with the "GRPC". MR. Sagna is unequivocal: "The solo work of Sant'Egidio does not facilitate our task, then it is imperative to harmonize our positions to have a common vision."
"The solo work of Sant'Egidio does not facilitate our task"
Today, the idea of the ""GRPC and of other stakeholders in the conflict, in partnership with Caesar Atoute Badiate, Ibrahima Compasse ("Stuffy") Diatta and Lamarana, is to organize inter-MFDC sitting in Gambia. The players are waiting for the green light from the strong man of Banjul, before to choose the exact date of the holding of this critical meeting, relatively to the state of progress of the peace process. Only, said Robert Sagna, the "GRPC" is sparing no effort to actively involve Salif Sadio in these foundations, for hope to have a common position of rebel chiefs or rebel leaders, before the State of Senegal.
In any case, still recalls Mr. Sagna, someone like Caesar Atoute Badiate is already willing to cultivate peace and even appointed its representatives to the state that are the Cardinal Theodore Adrien Sarr and the Imam Ratib of Bignona in the name of Fansou Bodian. This would be desirable, said Mr. Sagna, that for others to do the same, but this would be only in the course of the foundation that the rebel leaders could arrive at that kind of resolution.
"There are plans to organize inter-MFDC seating"
Even if he came to confide ....about the guerrillas and their capacity to cause harm, despite the misleading appearance of a laying down of arms, it remains that Robert Sagna has made scary revelations. Such as the fact that the rebels are still recruiting young people, who are now ready to die for the cause of their warlord. This recruitment consumerism is excessively frightening hence the urgency for him just to hasten the step towards finding peace in Casamance. For what concerns him, he says, they can do it with the financial support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, to meet or bring the fighters and to organize at the same time also the people, who show more and more their desire to regain peace, in this part of the country.
"The guerrillas (rebels) still recruiting youth"
About planning their trip abroad to sensitize the diaspora in relation to the need for peace in Casamance, Robert Sagna announces travels to the United States and elsewhere in the coming days, just to get the plea. It is precisely the proper timing to answer questions about the influence of Senegalese from the Casamance, based in Europe and pulled the strings for the amplification of the conflict in the image of Krumah Sane. But Robert Sagna, Krumah Sane and the appointed Akapéna or some Tamba, based in Switzerland he does not have a stake in the conflict (if it) ends for good reason, they think more about their status as "refugees" thing than anything else. "If there is no more conflict, what is it that they become these people? They hold that status, which is why they have no interest in the conflict to stop. But I tell you that their influence on the fighters are very relative. Besides someone like Salif Sadio for example, do not even want to hear about Krumah Sane," says the former mayor of Ziguinchor.
Source: Seneweb News
2. Related Bantaba World politics topics;
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| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| kobo |
Posted - 27 Jan 2014 : 00:28:36
1. Youtube Videos of Salifu Sadio rebel leader controlling territory around the Gambia border; protagonist of President Jammeh's cause, his men protecting borders surrounding Kanilai and Foni for Jammeh, criss-crossing between Casamance and Gambia (to Kanilai) whenever he wants and when needed or sanctioned by Jammeh
Salifu Sadio Release of 8 Senegalese Soldiers
2. Youtube Casamance rebel leader Ousmane Niantang Diatta Call to Remove Weapons (Ceasefire)
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| kobo |
Posted - 26 Jan 2014 : 03:49:29
APP PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATION AND GOOGLE ASSISTED FRENCH TO ENGLISH TRANSLATED NEWS WITH FOLLOWING REPORT:
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
The MFDC considers the exploitation of zircon project in Casamance as a declaration of war
The Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC armed rebellion) considers the operating zircon project in the region of Ziguinchor, southern Senegal, by an Australian mining company as a declaration of war.
"We, the MFDC, consider the operation of the zircon as a declaration of war. We believe that the priority is the restoration of peace in Casamance. And that is what should be the priority of the Government of Senegal. That's what we told him, "said Yaya Diatta, spokesman Abdou Elinkine Diatta, a leader of the domestic political wing of the MFDC.
He was speaking at an event organized by population of Niafran and surrounding communities in the rural community of Kafountine (south).
Protesters expressed their opposition to the proposed operation of zircon by the Australian company Carnegie, (demanding for) revocation or cancellation of an operating permit license issued by the State of Senegal. They believe that the exploitation of this mineral (ore) will have a negative impact on the health of the population, the ecological balance of the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and rice cultivation.
The protesters also believe that this project will result in the disappearance of fish, the main source of income of the population and the advance of salty lagoon in the rice fields with its corollary reduction in rice in the area under rice cultivation.
However, these two sectors are, according to a speaker attached APA by phone Wednesday, "the udder of the economy of the Lower Casamance."
Source: Seneweb News |
| kobo |
Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 22:42:31
APP PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATION AND GOOGLE ASSISTED FRENCH TO ENGLISH TRANSLATED NEWS WITH FOLLOWING REPORT:
1. Monday, January 20, 2014
MFDC: Seven years after the death of Diamacoune rebel movement more divided
Seven years after the death of the Father Diamacoune Senghor, the MFDC is more divided than ever. The rebel movement is struggling to find a leader who can unite or federate its various entities marred by a war of leadership.
And what are our (journalists) brothers in the South (i,e. the Casamance region) daily reminiscent in their columns that the rebel leader, who died Jan. 13, 2007 and was buried on 20 January of the same year, "embodied the direction of movement, federated all sensitivities within the same resistance movement."
At his death he left behind a MFDC plagued by a problem of legitimacy. There are those who claim a historical legitimacy (veterans) and who want to take the direction of movement. Another faction (fanatics) with those who claim and professes to be spiritual sons of Diamacoune".
Source: Seneweb News
2. Friday, January 24, 2014
Senegal: The MFDC chooses the United States to hold its sitting
The Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (armed rebellion) requires Inter-MFDC Convention in United States of America before the opening of peace negotiations with the Government of Senegal.
"The people demand the holding of Inter-MFDC Convention in the United States before entering into peace negotiations with the Senegalese government. We need to unify the movement and the structure before any negotiations with the Senegalese authorities," he told APA says Abdou Elinkine Diatta, a politicians of the inner (domestic) wing of the MFDC joined Thursday night on the phone.
He believes that the holding of these foundations is a priority for the MFDC. The leaders of the various factions of the movement including the domestic wing and foreign policy wing and the armed branch (Atika) will conduct on this occasion, to the establishment of a consensual office or the different sensitivities will be represented.
"We will proceed among others, to the appointment of a secretary general, a spokesperson and a chief of staff of the movement which will be mandated to speak on behalf of the MFDC", he said without giving details on the reasons which motivated the choice of the United States to accommodate this Convention
Source: Seneweb News |
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