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Senegal

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The Casamance Conflict is a low-level civil war that has been waged between the Government of Senegal and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) since 1990 over the question of independence for the Casamance region.

According to historians, Senegal’s first president, Leopold Senghor, made a promise to Casamance’s leaders before independence from France in 1960 that if they joined Senegal for 20 years they would have their own independence afterwards.

When the government didn’t follow through on the promise in 1980, street demonstrations in the Casamance capital, Ziguinchor, turned violent.

The height of popularity of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) followed what human rights groups have said was brutal repression against demonstrators calling on officials to make good on Senghor’s promise.

The Casamance region is mostly inhabited by the Jola people who have a long tradition of independence movements. The MFDC had organised peaceful independence demonstrations. In 1982 the organisation's leaders were arrested, sparking a vicious circle of increased resistance and Army clampdowns.

In 1990, the MFDC began reprisals by attacking military buildings in the region, with alleged covert support from the Guinea-Bissauan Army. The Senegalese Army in turn attacked MFDC bases in Basse Casamance and Guinea-Bissau, but both sides were also accused of attacking non-combatants.

Several ceasefires were agreed during the 1990s, but none lasted, and the conflict hit European headlines when four French tourists disappeared, both sides blaming each other. Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor had come to lead the MFDC and pursued a policy of talks and reconciliation. However, the Senegalese government refused to consider independence for the region, leading some MFDC members to split and restart the fighting.

Another ceasefire was signed in 1997, but about 500 people were reported dead in battles up until March 2001, when Senghor and Abdoulaye Wade agreed to a peace deal. This allowed for the release of prisoners, the return of refugees and clearance of landmines but did not bring autonomy. Some in the MFDC regarded this as a betrayal, and the movement split with two factions battling each other.

Since the split, low-level fighting has continued in the region. Another round of negotiations took place in 2005. ^[1] Its results were, however, proved partial and armed clashes between MFDC factions and the army continued in 2006, prompting thousands of civilians to flee across the border to Gambia. ^[2]

1. ^ "Senegal to sign Casamance accord", BBC News, December 30, 2004
2. ^ "Senegal: Attacks in Casamance despite peace move", IRIN, December 5, 2006