Manifesto issued and the start of negotiations between the government of Senegal and the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC), to end the Casamance conflict:

1) WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION?
Casamance is in a deplorable state! Violence is once more taking root all over the region. The people are taking sides in the conflict as a result of the insecurity. As usual it is the people who bear the brunt of the conflict. According to the Senegalese press, between May and November 2009, the violence resulted in 16 dead and close to 25 injured. This is too much!

2) THE CONFLICT IN CASAMANCE DOES NOT BENEFIT ANYONE
The people of Casamance want to watch their children grow and prosper without risking mines and other forms of danger: they want a return to family and village life, they want to sing and dance, the want to sleep peacefully, they all want to return to their homes.

The people face growing hardships and a lack of basic social services such as health and education. In some places rice fields and farms have been abandoned in the middle of farming season. The free movement of people and goods is constantly under threat.

The region has become unstable, and is succumbing to drug-trafficking and unfettered pillaging of its natural resources. Tourism and other economic activities are suffering and the region is slowly dying.

The consequences of the conflict are poverty, worsening public health and environmental degradation. There is long-term risk of irreversible social and ecological disaster. Even if we as parents do not see this come to pass, our children will have no future. Is this really what we want? No! The Senegalese people wish to live in peace, go about their daily business and circulate freely, in dignity and with mutual respect.

The men of the MFDC would like to look after their parents in their old age, live in peace, and above all, watch their children grow and prosper. The MFDC wants to see a Casamance that is peaceful and prosperous, and that cherishes its rich and diverse culture. The young men have gone underground, some for their entire youth. Do they prefer to be separated from their families, absent while their parents age and die? No! Did they choose not to send their children to school? No!

The State would like to see peace throughout its territory, and harmonious development across all regions. Senegal would like to be seen as an exemplar of stability and democracy, regionally and internationally. A major conflict somewhere would scupper all this. The people are suffering displacement, as well as loss of life and property. Any prospects for decent work and a good standard of living are fast disappearing.

What does a regional conflict mean for the state? Under these circumstances, can Senegal benefit from the riches of Casamance? No! Can a strife-torn Casamance attract tourism? No! Does Senegal’s international image benefit from poor internal communication? No.

Civil society has been all along been working to minimise the impact of the conflict on the people. It has strived to boost their moral, rebuild their homes and safeguard their livelihoods. Needless to say, civil society is not willing to perpetually repeat this cycle every time the conflict flares up.

3) THE CONFLICT IN CASAMANCE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ETHNICITY OR RELIGION
Senegal, and Casamance in particular, prides in its cultural diversity, and the peaceful coexistence of its citizens. We can be proud of the mutual respect that exists between the religions. Family ties transcend religion and ethnicity. In a world where conflicts talk on an ethnic dimension, and religion is used to disguise political aspirations, diversity and peaceful coexistence are fundamental assets to be safeguarded. We declare that Casamance in is a multicultural and tolerant region in a Senegal that is equally multicultural and tolerant!

4) WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PAST EFFORTS INVOLVED ALL STAKEHOLDERS
Since the start of this crisis, civil society has been working tirelessly. It has worked with the population, the state and the MFDC to restore peace. There are a lot of organisations, working at all levels, to ensure sustainable development.

The two key players in the conflict, the government on one hand, and the MFDC on the other, have tried to resolve the crisis through negotiations on several occasions. A number of ceasefires accords have been signed (1991 at Cacheu in Guinea Bissau, 1993 at Ziguinchor, 2004 at Ziguinchor). The last accord in particular seemed very promising. At the moment, nobody knows how to proceed in order to achieve lasting peace.

5) THE SITUATION OF DISPLACED PERSONS
After spending 8, 15, or even 20 years living with relatives in other villages, or in Zinguinchor, the displaced are tired and discouraged. Having left everything behind, shared rooms with others, what hope do they have if they still cannot return home for fear of land mines and insecurity?

Where does one find the means to rent a accommodation in town, or to lease a farm while cut off from one’s own land? What is one supposed to eat? Some of the displaced were so desperate to leave their trouble city existence and return to their homes that they decided to risk de-mining their fields with traditional farm implements!

6) THE PRESENT DEMANDS
We are not politicians, we are women, just citizens. We are members of civil society organisations working in Casamance. We ask all to join us in urging a resolution to the Casamance crisis and an end to the conflict.

Casamance has faced violence for almost thirty years. A whole generation has grown up knowing only war. Does this afford opportunities for a prosperous future for all? No! The war has left an indelible mark in the hearts of the people, and Casamance continues to languish.

Violence begets violence. One can see this elsewhere in the world: it is an endless chain-reaction. When will we decide to break this vicious cycle and pull away from the edge of the abyss.

At this point, it is immaterial who is wrong and who is right. We are not even at the point where we can discuss living together on the same planet, let alone West Africa, Senegal, or even Casamance. First, we must demand an end to the violence.

It is time we treat each other with respect. Nobody deserves to be oppressed or demonised. Regardless of political inclination, everyone deserves respect as a human being, with the right to express oneself and share one’s experiences. The exchange of experiences and perspectives is the basis for peace. Peace is not built on physical or verbal domination. It is built of combining different views into one global perspective. We are all called upon to contribute by communicating with each other respectfully. In the traditions of Casamance, women were allowed to come between warring parties and force them to lay down their arms. It is in this tradition that we demand an immediate ceasefire. We, the women of civil society, call all to reason.

Senegalese, Senegalese, we must not hide out common needs. Let us recognise that, whether president of the republic, fighter, farmer, or development worker, we have the same needs: to be respected by society, to live a decent life, to thrive, to move freely, to work, to be acknowledged in our work, to live in a family, to practise our religion, to be a part of society’s debate, to share our suffering and celebrate our successes.

Our key principles are:

- Transparency
- Communication based on mutual respect: let us seek the ties that bind!
- Recognising one another as partners in a dialogue
- A distinction between the theme of discussion, and the discussant
- A focused discussion that seeks to build consensus
- A non-violent discussion, devoid of accusations, stigmatisation and generalisations

We demand:

- A complete end to the violence
- The start of a true negotiation process between the government and the MFDC

Support this petition by signing!

Zinguinchor, 17 December 2009

Signatory organisations:

CONGAD
CRSFPC/Usoforal
AJAC Lukaal
AJAEDO
APAC
Kagamen Sénégal
Kabonkétoor
GRDR
FAFS
Enfance et Paix
WANEP Sénégal
Caritas Ziguinchor
Fédération des Associations Féminines du Sénégal, cellule de Ziguinchor
Africare

* This article is also available in French.
* Translated from the French by Joshua Ogada.
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.