Personally, I think there should be serious mediation between the Senegalese
government and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) before
any peace is to come to this embattled region of Senegal.  When I say
'serious', I mean the type of negotiation that is not done simply to satisfy
the negotiator's self-proclaimed image of a peace broker as Jammeh has
recently added to his ever-growing resume.

Any serious negotiations would have to look at the Casamance issue not only
as an independence matter, but also as a struggle for the cultural and
economic freedom of a people who for a long time have felt marginalized in
their own country.  I don't believe though that it's uniquely through armed
struggle that such recognition can be won. The balkanization of Africa is
not what will save us in this age of big unions and economic blocs.
However, it is an economic paradox that the region that is considered the
breadbasket of Senegal is also the most underdeveloped. Casamance has for a
long time been used as a backyard of tourism, a hotbed of cultural identity
to satisfy the curiosities of Western tourists eager to see a mamaparang,
kakurang or to dance bukarabo.  President Jammeh himself foolishly displays
this cultural affinity during sindola programs for his astounded Western
guests.  Essentially, he is telling them, "you don't have to go to Casamance
(rife with war) to see our African culture!"

As regards Wal Fadjri, it has even in the past not failed to fan the fires
of anger in matters of national interest.  The narrow nationalist tones of
such yellow journalism as expressed by this newspaper is what transforms
human beings into animals and pushes them into uncontrolled violence and
self-annihilation. The role of the media in the Rwanda genocide is what
comes to mind in this instance. I remember how, after the unilateral
dissolution of the SeneGambia Confederation by former President Diouf, Wal
Fadjri caricatured The Gambian as a safe haven for illegal traders and
called for strict economic measures against what it considered a non-viable
Gambian economy.  A similar approach was adopted by the paper during the
clashes between Senegal and Mauritania that led to the massacre of hundreds
of people on both sides of the Senegal River.

It is a dangerous precedence for Wal Fadjri to imply that President Jammeh
is conniving with the MFDC.  Equally, President Jammeh should re-think the
involvement of his government in this conflict, and realize that he is
treading on dangerous ground.  He could easily be accused of sympathizing
with his Jola folk, considering the close nature of ethnic relations in
Africa.  Irresponsible remarks such as calls for a limited autonomy for
Casamance or the withdrawal of Senegalese forces could raise eyebrows within
the Senegalese bureaucracy.

It beats all logic that President Jammeh is obstinately involved in
peacekeeping missions when his own house is not in order.

Hamadi.


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