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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 18:24:21
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Has anyone traveled to Ziguinchor and Bissau this year? I am wondering if there is any safety issues close to borders and rebellion activity in Casamance region?
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 18:45:50
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| Not looking good. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Dr Thomas
Gambia
95 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2010 : 09:21:30
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12084207
Hi Turk
maybe this answers your question. I tried to visit some friends in Ziguinchor 2 weeks ago. Unable to get there from Gambia.
Be careful and stay healthy.
Tom |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2010 : 12:41:35
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Dr Thomas, pleased that you are about to look after us occasional visitors with the latest news .
quote:
Originally posted by Dr Thomas
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12084207
Hi Turk
maybe this answers your question. I tried to visit some friends in Ziguinchor 2 weeks ago. Unable to get there from Gambia.
Be careful and stay healthy.
Tom
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2010 : 12:53:34
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7392685.stm
This I found to be very interesting,not for its barbaric and totally uncivilised mutilations but for this one line that grabbed my attention:
"This is the first case of such deliberate mutilation during the region's 26 years of conflict."
Why this new way of doing things by the "rebels" ? could it be that these barbarians dressed in :
" military fatigues and armed with rifles."
I should have thought that your average bush dwelling "rebel" is unlikely to have access to "rifles" and "military fatigues", without having been given them by persons from outside the area.
Just My opinion.
BBC NEWS
Army seeks Senegal ear-choppers
The Senegalese army has launched an offensive against rebels in the southern Casamance region, after 16 villagers had their left ears cut off.
A military spokesman said the operation was aimed at protecting villagers from attack during the cashew-nut harvest.
The MFDC rebel group, which has waged a long separatist campaign in the region, has denied links to the mutilations.
Senegalese human rights groups say the attack threatens the relative calm in the area in recent months.
"The operations are still under way. We need to protect the villagers who are busy harvesting cashew nuts, so that they can continue safely their activities," Commander Prosper Basse told the BBC.
The cashew-nut harvest time has regularly seen an upsurge in violence and armed attacks. Cashew nuts are one of the area's main cash crops.
"These are awful attacks and we can't tolerate them," the army spokesman said.
He did not indicate if any arrests had been made.
'Barbarous'
Local media say the offensive is targeting rebel bases near the border with Guinea-Bissau.
The Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) has condemned the attack as "barbarous".
"Our interest is to maintain calm until we can sit down with the government of Senegal and bring definitive peace to Casamance. We do not want civilians to be targeted," said the MFDC's Antoine Diamacoune.
This is the first case of such deliberate mutilation during the region's 26 years of conflict.
Lansana Manga, 31, said they were harvesting the nuts in Niaguis, 20km from the regional capital, Ziguinchor, when they were approached by men dressed in military fatigues and armed with rifles.
"They tied our hands before cutting off one ear each," he told the AFP news agency.
"They said it was to punish us because we were in their territory."
The National Human Rights Organisation has demanded that the perpetrators be found and charged with crimes against humanity.
The African Alliance for the Defence of Human Rights - another Dakar-based group, earlier involved in mediation efforts between the government and the MFDC - also expressed concern.
It said the mutilation may put an end to the relative lull which has prevailed in the province for the past few months.
A peace deal was signed with the main MFDC faction in 2004 but armed robbery remains common in the area, badly hitting its once vibrant tourist industry.
The Gambia lies between Casamance and the rest of Senegal and the MFDC rebels started a war for independence in 1982. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 28 Dec 2010 12:56:21 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2010 : 16:01:35
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Thanks thomas/touby. It looks like best option is flying to Zig from Dakar or there is a ferry from Dakar which takes almost a day. But that means another trip from Dakar to Gambia.
It looks, due to recent violence, I will have to change my travel plan. I really like Casamance region and Guinea-Bissau. Basically you go English/French/Portugal in one day. And Casamance and Guinnea Bissau have spectacular landscape and beaches.
Maybe I should only focus eastern Gambia, Basse trip by boat and Jinnack. I really want to be away from senegambia area this time. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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