Gambia acts to end Senegal feud By James Copnall BBC News, Abidjan The Gambia has reduced prices on the ferry across the River Gambia to halt a growing feud with neighbouring Senegal. The Ports Authority in the tiny West African state said it was cutting the tariffs to mark the start of the Muslim month of Ramadan. Senegalese transporters have been boycotting the ferry, following a price increase in August. The move hit hard the economies of the two countries, prompting international diplomatic intervention. Uneasy relations More than nine out of 10 Gambians and Senegalese are Muslims and worthy acts are expected during Ramadan. Another explanation would be that the Gambians have ceded to international pressure. President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria has proposed a high level meeting in Abuja to sort out the matter. Anglophone, the Gambia is a thin strip of land that cuts French-speaking Senegal in two. It has been described by a prominent African historian as "a banana thrust into Senegal's mouth", but the Senegalese have not always seen the traditional value in the relationship with the country they surround. Senegalese transporters must cross the Gambia if they're to go between the north and south of their country. When the Gambians doubled the price for the ferry the Senegalese were furious. They boycotted the Gambia, preferring a long detour through the east of their country along bad roads. Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade mooted a series of solutions, including building a tunnel under the Gambia to avoid future problems. The Senegalese boycott also hurt the Gambians for whom re-export is a major business. Senegal and the Gambia share a common history but the relationship between the mutually dependent neighbours is rarely good. E-mail this to a friend Printable version LINKS TO MORE AFRICA STORIES SelectViolent clashes in Nigerian cityDR Congo troops to Uganda borderGambia acts to end Senegal feudSA-India weapons deal 'cancelled'Somali hijack ship 'safe' in portZimbabwe soldiers tell of hungerZimbabwe makes fresh IMF paymentUganda rebels in daylight ambushGabon leader's move angers exilesEgyptian returnee 'faces torture'Group to discuss Africa pledgesDirect Darfur talks amid violenceMass arrests in new Harare blitzEU backs global small arms treatyMoon's shadow moves across EarthRwanda ex-leader's kin on trialMigrants charge Spanish enclaveNigerian drug mules 'on the rise'Somali pirates release two shipsKenya's 'persecuted' MPs set freeA driving force for Senegal's women'Yes, it's good to be king'Can elders grow old with dignity?Why I Hate 'I Love Africa'Send us your pictures of AfricaProgrammes and schedules [input] SEE ALSO: Senegal may tunnel under Gambia 21 Sep 05 | Africa Border shut after soccer clash 09 Jun 03 | Africa Country profile: The Gambia 11 Aug 05 | Country profiles Country profile: Senegal 17 Aug 05 | Country profiles TOP AFRICA STORIES NOW Violent clashes in Nigerian city DR Congo troops to Uganda border Gambia acts to end Senegal feud SA-India weapons deal 'cancelled' getRssUrlStory('/rss/newsonline_world_edition/africa/rss.xml') | What is RSS? News Alerts E-mail services Mobiles/PDAs BBC Copyright Notice Back to top Help Privacy and Cookies Policy News sources About the BBC Contact us -1?'https:':'http:';var _rsRP=escape(document.referrer);var _rsND=_rsLP+'//secure-uk.imrworldwide.com/'; if (parseInt(navigator.appVersion)>=4) { var _rsRD=(new Date()).getTime(); var _rsSE=1; var _rsSV=""; var _rsSM=1.0; _rsCL=''; } else { _rsCL=''; } document.write(_rsCL);//--> Gambia acts to end Senegal feud By James Copnall BBC News, Abidjan The Gambia has reduced prices on the ferry across the River Gambia to halt a growing feud with neighbouring Senegal. The Ports Authority in the tiny West African state said it was cutting the tariffs to mark the start of the Muslim month of Ramadan. Senegalese transporters have been boycotting the ferry, following a price increase in August. The move hit hard the economies of the two countries, prompting international diplomatic intervention. Uneasy relations More than nine out of 10 Gambians and Senegalese are Muslims and worthy acts are expected during Ramadan. Another explanation would be that the Gambians have ceded to international pressure. President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria has proposed a high level meeting in Abuja to sort out the matter. Anglophone, the Gambia is a thin strip of land that cuts French-speaking Senegal in two. It has been described by a prominent African historian as "a banana thrust into Senegal's mouth", but the Senegalese have not always seen the traditional value in the relationship with the country they surround. Senegalese transporters must cross the Gambia if they're to go between the north and south of their country. When the Gambians doubled the price for the ferry the Senegalese were furious. They boycotted the Gambia, preferring a long detour through the east of their country along bad roads. Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade mooted a series of solutions, including building a tunnel under the Gambia to avoid future problems. The Senegalese boycott also hurt the Gambians for whom re-export is a major business. Senegal and the Gambia share a common history but the relationship between the mutually dependent neighbours is rarely good. E-mail this to a friend Printable version LINKS TO MORE AFRICA STORIES SelectViolent clashes in Nigerian cityDR Congo troops to Uganda borderGambia acts to end Senegal feudSA-India weapons deal 'cancelled'Somali hijack ship 'safe' in portZimbabwe soldiers tell of hungerZimbabwe makes fresh IMF paymentUganda rebels in daylight ambushGabon leader's move angers exilesEgyptian returnee 'faces torture'Group to discuss Africa pledgesDirect Darfur talks amid violenceMass arrests in new Harare blitzEU backs global small arms treatyMoon's shadow moves across EarthRwanda ex-leader's kin on trialMigrants charge Spanish enclaveNigerian drug mules 'on the rise'Somali pirates release two shipsKenya's 'persecuted' MPs set freeA driving force for Senegal's women'Yes, it's good to be king'Can elders grow old with dignity?Why I Hate 'I Love Africa'Send us your pictures of AfricaProgrammes and schedules [input] SEE ALSO: Senegal may tunnel under Gambia 21 Sep 05 | Africa Border shut after soccer clash 09 Jun 03 | Africa Country profile: The Gambia 11 Aug 05 | Country profiles Country profile: Senegal 17 Aug 05 | Country profiles TOP AFRICA STORIES NOW Violent clashes in Nigerian city DR Congo troops to Uganda border Gambia acts to end Senegal feud SA-India weapons deal 'cancelled' getRssUrlStory('/rss/newsonline_world_edition/africa/rss.xml') | What is RSS? News Alerts E-mail services Mobiles/PDAs BBC Copyright Notice Back to top Help Privacy and Cookies Policy News sources About the BBC Contact us -1?'https:':'http:';var _rsRP=escape(document.referrer);var _rsND=_rsLP+'//secure-uk.imrworldwide.com/'; if (parseInt(navigator.appVersion)>=4) { var _rsRD=(new Date()).getTime(); var _rsSE=1; var _rsSV=""; var _rsSM=1.0; _rsCL=''; } else { _rsCL=''; } document.write(_rsCL);//--> --------------------------------- Yahoo! for Good Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい