President Wade was on Saturday in Chicago the butt of an embarassing protest from Senegalese nationals resident in the US and Canada as well as opposition figures invited to the US by the Senegalese diaspora. Wade was in invited to the US to grace the Journalists of Colour Conference hosted by Chicago. Among the notable protestors in the crowd was the young and upcoming political force in Senegal Talla Sylla, Barthelomew Diaz of the opposition Blog Gainde and Wade's most potent critic outside of Senegal, the journalist and Canada resident Souleyman Jules Diop.
Having got wind of the planned protest in advance, Wade's staunch militants and body guards were seemingly well prepared for any confrontation. In what seemed like a premeditated and anticipated attack, Mr Souleyman Jule Diop was punched and assaulted by Wade's guards no sooner than he rose from his seat in the conference hall as Wade was giving a speech about press freedom and shouted in protest "I want to speak on behalf of my people". Poor Mr Diop was hauled and pulled from all direction by the bulky "Garde du Corps" of President Wade like a group of hungry lions fighting over a small prey after they were starved for a week, before the Chicago ploice stepped in and escorted Jules Diop out of the hall. He was handcuffed and whisked away by the Police. A visibly embarassed Wade stood motionless and speechless from behind the pulpit as this barbaric scenario unfold before the eyes of the world. After his brief detention and release by Chicago Police, Jules Diop announced that that he will file a lawsuit against Wade and his close protection. How embarassing for a man selectively hand picked by the West as one of the greatest upholders of Democracy in Africa to be exposed in the so called number one democracy in the world, the US.
Earlier in Day Talla Sylla told CBS News that Wade was killing democracy in Senegal by unleashing violence on the opposition and staged elections at his whims when he so decide to. He claimed to be a victim of a planned assasination by Wade when he was attacked and left for dead by a hammer wielding maniac. Talla Sylla was evacuated and hospitalised in France late last year after he suffered a recovery set back from the said attack. He also told CBS that Wade comissioned the murder of former head of Constitutional Council Maitre Babacar Seye. The horrifying details of this murder was documented in a book by Senegalese Journalist Abdul Latif Coulibally a few year ago. The Chicago incident will sure put a dent into Wade's carefully orchestrated public image in the diplomatic world. A good lesson for dictators. Below is the Chicago video.
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Posted - 28 Jul 2008 : 20:04:38
