Renowned for its sense of hospitality is seen as a vital quality of the country through the famous Teranga, the Senegal can not not be mentioned when talking about the United States and of the spell that is done to Blacks. With the memory of the treaty spoke to the island of Gorée, in the House of slaves off the coast of Dakar, the issues of slavery and racism are often on the lips as much of national as of many foreign nationals in the country. However, since the death of George Floyd, this African-American killed by a white policeman Monday, may 25, we cannot say that there has been a lot of big events as has been observed throughout the world. In spite of everything, the indignation has caused debate and reflection within the population.
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Plusiuers gatherings have been held in Senegal due to the death of George Floyd, in particular near the Memorial Gorée-Almadies, facing the Atlantic ocean. © Sadak Souici / Anadolu Agency via AFP
A wave of shock cross
For Mary, a student of gabon in Senegal, it is mainly the fact that “people do not feel enough involved in the issue of racism” that explains the little bit of mobilization in the two events, yet organized at the beginning of the month in Dakar. The country being relatively untouched by the scourge of racism thanks to its spirit of openness and tolerance, few Senegalese have already been subjected to racial discrimination. The diversity of the population promotes the living together of a mosaic of ethnic groups, many african nationals, or residents, mainly from Europe or North America who have made the choice to settle there. For all that, if they are little used, ” the Senegalese feel very concerned by the subject. They were shocked by the agony, for almost 8 minutes 46 seconds, George Floyd, and his racist. Sharing en masse on the social networks contributed to the propagation of a shock wave, and has accentuated a feeling of revolt, particularly in the strong senegalese diaspora present in the US, ” said Seydi Gassama, executive director of Amnesty International Senegal. The condemnation has aroused indignation, especially among the young. “It is important that we, in Senegal, and generally in Africa, may we be heard and to show that the youth is not going to let it go and that she has a message to convey,” insists Akina Sambou, the co-organiser of the event.
The shock wave of Black Lives Matter has echoed to Dakar among many young Senegalese and foreigners settled in the country of the Teranga. © SEYLLOU / AFP
The resonance has been special among the american expats, as Stephanie, librarian in an international school of Dakar, and is a native of Arizona. “A few weeks before George Floyd, a black man was shot 6 bullets in the back by police in Arizona. These events awful, should allow to speak of the racism and discrimination against minorities as a whole to change the situation “, calls it his good wishes.
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The bronze statue of Demba, skirmisher senegalese, and Dupont, hairy French throne today in front of the train station of Dakar in memory of the First world War. The work was executed in 1923 by French sculptor Paul Ducuing. © SEYLLOU / AFP
Racism-african
If the Senegal is relatively protected, the african continent is not exempt of racism : “In Mauritania, slavery-like practices persist, or even in the Maghreb people of black color are regularly victims of discrimination,” recalls Seydi Gassama. Djibril, comedian senegal 32 years old, has bitterly made the charges during a business trip to Tunis. “Some in the nose as we pass in the street or insulting us in Arabic “, he recalls, scarred by these attitudes. If in a first time, baffled, he preferred to let them pass, he then adopted an ” attitude of resistance “, the only way according to him to push the debate and to react to operate a change of mentality.
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The police violence reported
The debate on racism has also raised the issue of police violence in the country, a problem that is endemic on the continent, which has escalated during this health crisis with the introduction of a curfew. Moriba, an activist from senegal, points the finger at “the violence inflicted on the citizens, “and censures” the superpower of the State through the police.” A feeling shared by Amine, a native of Morocco came to follow his studies of medicine in Dakar. “The police is often used as a weapon against the people, in Africa, but also elsewhere, to crush the expression of the population “, details this 25 years young, long committed to violence. In the Face of police killings which often remain unpunished, the sense of distrust of the population tends to increase. “The police are supposed to protect us and not abuse its power at the slightest opportunity !” growls Akina.
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a mural depicting Malcolm X was painted by a collective of graffiti artists, “RBS Crew” on the wall of a bridge along a main artery of the capital city of Senegal, Dakar. © Alaattin Dogru / Anadolu Agency via AFP
pan-africanism in question
These events, strengthening the solidarity between africans and African-Americans, they share origins and a common history, wondering about the dream of pan-african. “This raises the question of the place of Africa on the world stage and demonstrates the importance of the unity of the continent to make its voice and its claims can be heard. The diaspora plays an important role in this line of questioning “, argues Seydi Gassama. Of what to wear to new a look on pan-africanism.
Born in the United States at the end of the Nineteenth century within the african diaspora following the prohibition of slavery, the movement pan-africanist aims to encourage solidarity between the peoples of africa or of african origin, but also to the unification and independence of the continent, relying on local resources and youth. According to Seydi Gassama, however, this emancipation is lacking in the political class, which seems to have been abandoned for some time the idea of a federal State, pan-african continental. If the ruling classes did not materialize this aspiration, the young generation, tired of being ignored, adheres heavily to the ideas of thinkers as pan-african. “What happened with George Floyd, and in other cases of police violence, racist, is symptomatic of the position of the Black in the world. It is necessary to move forward, to fight for equality and put an end to this domination of the West “, highlights Djibril, who think that culture can help to educate a lot of people.
The ideas of Cheikh Anta Diop, egyptologist, the senegalese recognized who has worked for the development of Africa, a loud call on the african youth. It has given its name to the university of Dakar and is often evoked in these times where all the drama of the black people marched in the collective memory. In any case, if new leaders for the pan-african emerging, attitudes are changing. Some, like Amine, remain skeptical of a change in depth of the situation : “I doubt that these events reflect on the continent. The Africans have other concerns in mind. This is very far from their daily lives and they are already required to resolve issues deep, ” says the future doctor. In fact, if the change remains uncertain, the reflection is more topical than ever.
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“It is up to the Africans to pay tribute to their deported” Ghana – Samia Nkrumah : “The Twenty-first century is that of the unification of Africa,” Tierno Monénembo – disunity, the other danger african Phoebe – The forgotten story of pan-africanism in Africa in the face of the Covid-19 : the unbearable confinement ” The question of the Haratine is the most burning in Mauritania “
