In the 17th through 19th centuries, Senegal was colonized and ruled by the French. Economic profits were largely driven by slave, ivory, and gold trade, and it was not until 1960 that the country officially became an independent republic. Despite a relatively peaceful political environment in recent years, the recent news that current 85 year-old President Abdoulaye Wade could run for a third term in office has enraged many citizens. More specifically, violent protests and demonstrations have sent the city of Dakar into, at least temporary, upheaval, as the Senegalese people express their discontent (see video). Given his history of some potentially corrupt political maneuvers, Wade has lost the trust of his country.
Nonetheless, Wade has also been an integral part of Senegal's movement towards encouraging reconnections among members of the African Diaspora. Many once Senegalese citizens now live abroad and provide financial assistance to their families at home, a demonstration of how members of the country have dispersed over time. However, President Abdoulaye Wade (see picture to the left) has made recent efforts to allow members of the African Diaspora to visit Senegal without a visa of any sort. Similarly, he is attempting to make the diaspora a more central focus in African affairs, viewing this as an opportunity to connect people both at home and abroad who share a common history. Such recent efforts indicate that the country may be amidst a rebuilding process; perhaps contact between Senegalese at home and abroad will be greatly facilitated in the near future.I am by no means an expert on Senegal--in fact, this is exactly the reason I've chosen to research this particular country. A friend of mine recently returned from a study abroad program in Dakar with endless remarkable stories about the people, places, and customs that she encountered. Therefore, I am looking forward to developing a more complex and thorough understanding of the country. In particular, I look forward to exploring the specific cultural and ethnic makeup of Senegal, given its clear French influence.
Sources:
Africa EU, "Senegal opens door to diaspora." Africa and Europe in Partnership, January 6, 2010. http://www.africa-eu-partnership.org/news/senegal-opens-doors-diaspora
BBC News, Africa, last modified January 11, 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14093674
Rukmini Callimachi, "2 shot dead in Senegal election protest." Associated Press, January 30, 2012.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h2zPtTQPcUbmcHn56vex9gwZd1zQ?docId=c5e3b011b3d44393a54fc4a9bd0c9163
U.S. Department of State, United States Government, last modified January 13, 2012. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2862.htm
I find this post to be extremely interesting. Before reading this post, my prior knowledge about Senegal was limited to a simple fact that it is a country in Africa. After reading this I have learned many new and interesting aspects of the country, such as that the country's official language is French. When I think about Senegal, I do not associate Senegal with anything to do with French.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to president Wade, it seems like a very tough dilemma to decide his face. As noted, a lot of the people of Senegal do not want him back. But the fact that he makes it a top priority to still provide and cater for those Senegal citizens who have fled the country. It is interesting that not only does he help them when they are abroad, but also when they return. That must give people that have left a sense of belonging, and it seems like they can call Senegal their "home" because of how welcoming President Wade is.