With each and every breath of fresh air we share this warfare, but it's all over there

Hey! it's my desk.

I briefly pondered writing this blog post about something different:"Terrified of telephones and shopping malls and knives." Then changed my mind. If I were out there, reading this blog, and I read a post about possibly violent protesting - and then the next post was about goats, or housing, or office furniture.... 

you get the picture. 

Tuesday saw another round of demonstrations. And so did Wednesday. My understanding is things went something like this:

A large group of M23 opposition leaders and possibly several hundred to several thousand demonstrators gathered in a place known as 'Place of the Obelisk' (a popular spot for demonstrations). They held a peaceful protest all afternoon Tuesday, chanting their slogans and calling for President Wade to withdraw his candidacy.

As I mentioned in my last post I went home around 1:00pm and stayed home all afternoon (skyping with Swathi). I left my windows open and sometimes I imagined I could hear the sounds of a crowd. But this is highly unlikely.

It was later into the evening when the protest began to get more violent. Reports say that protesters began to call for a march on the Presidential Palace. This is when the police stepped in firing tear gas into the crowd. In the panic and confusion at least one University student was killed. The demonstrators claim that a police truck ran him over, police officials claim the crowd trampled him.

I didn't know about any of this until Wednesday morning when I checked the news online (google has given me a silver badge [what ever that means] for all my Senegal news reading this last week... ) After reading about the violence of the night before I called around to a colleague to see if we were clear to go into work. I got a green light and from my neighborhood into work was business as usual. The two police trucks, in the same place they've been since last Friday were still there. The young police officers seemed to be taking naps and reading books.

On Wednesday another demonstration went forward. This time it started at the university and apparently consisted mostly of rock throwing (students) and tear gas launching (police). Reports said that students were upset about the death of their classmate. The students set fire to a bus, before being pushed back into the university campus, where Senegalese news reports claim they are being contained.

This time we were allowed to stay at work instead of being sent home and despite being closer to the 'action' I still did not see or hear a whisper of the protests. Which makes images like this one slightly shocking to me. These guys were tipping a bus - probably at the same time I was lamenting my boring task of report reading. 

Calm seems to be restored this evening, and like yesterday, I remain hopeful that all further protests will remain peaceful (the way this one started out!). I'm still safe and despite very active protesters still haven't been exposed to any actual protesting!

*please note - I am not the authority of Dakar protests! everything I just wrote could be completely wrong- I have no hard facts, and haven't been witness to any of these events!

Photo Credits:
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Students-clash-with-police-in-Senegal-2915524.php#photo-2240888
http://blogs.voanews.com/photos/files/2012/02/reuters_senegal_protest_01Feb12-878x585.jpg

whatever made up this mess expressed it with the intelligence of conflict, sick-intellect.

Abdoulaye Wade and his son

Much discussion today is focused on the political situation here in Senegal. At the end of February the country will hold presidential elections. This last weekend (Jan 27/28, 2012) saw the announcements of candidacy. The current President Abdoulaye Wade had petitioned for permission to run for a third term in office. Tensions are heightened because the constitution was recently updated to limit presidents to a maximum of two terms. Wade and his supporters claim that since his first term started before this change that the limit does not apply to his first term as president and thus he is eligible for a third. The constitutional council in a decision last Friday, agreed. This is what sparked the violent protests on Friday night.

In my corner of the world, very little of the violence was noticeable. I stayed at home entertaining myself for the weekend with books, movies, and computer games. My experience of the violent protests was totally confined to sending emails to people assuring them that I continue to be safe (and I do).

Dakar protesters, Jan 27, '12 

Today we had another security briefing. More demonstrations are planned for this afternoon. The opposition movement in Senegal, most commonly referred to as M23 (for the June 23 Movement), has called for nationwide demonstrations protesting Wade's candidacy. Senegal generally requires that all public demonstrations be approved before they can take place, and the government has not approved today's protest. The M23 plan to go forward with the demonstration anyway, and this is what causes concern for possible escalation. 

In the northern town of Podor reports are suggesting that Gendarmes (police) opened fire into a crowd of peaceful protesters killing two and injuring others. Concerns on some sides are that this is sanctioned, and a similar response is possible to the demonstration today. On the other hand, there is a concern that due to this show of violence on the part of gendarmes the opposition is more likely to escalate their protest themselves. Either way tensions are high and we've been advised to head home in advance of the start of the protest. 

I left the office a bit earlier than planned so that I could make sure there was enough time for 1 or 2 quick errands. Gendarme presence (in riot gear) on several street corners. And at the gas station at the end of my street a somewhat ragtag group of soldiers are directing traffic (and looking vaguely menacing). An extra bottle of water, 2 baguettes, and a few other staples and I'm home and for the day. 

Hoping for non-violent political protests.




Photo credits:
http://africamix.blog.lemonde.fr/2011/06/24/senegal-abdoulaye-wade-est-il-encore-un-democrate/
http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/Content.aspx?id=163639