Curfew Imposed To Stem Anti-Senegalese Violence

http://allafrica.com/stories/200306090001.html

The Independent (Banjul)
NEWS
June 9, 2003
Posted to the web June 9, 2003
Banjul

The Gambia government Sunday imposed a 7pm to 6am countrywide curfew to stem
rising anti-Senegalese violence across the country. The curfew came after a day
of looting and attacks on Senegalese nationals and properties in the country.

Sunday's violence was a reaction to violent attacks upon Gambian players and
fans attending the African Nations Cup qualifying match between the two
countries by Senegalese football hooligans on Saturday. The match, played in
the Senegalese capital Dakar, ended 3-1 in favor of the hosts. Senegalese fans
however unleashed an orgy of violence on the visiting Gambian players and
supporters, beating them up, smashing car windows and pelting them with stones
and other missiles. The attacks resulted in the hospitalization of some
Gambians.

The Independent, whose sports reporter Namory Trawally was himself a victim of
the violence, could not confirm reports that some Gambians were killed in the
attacks. Another journalist, Essa Jallow formerly of the GRTS but now with West
Coast FM radio, also suffered from the attacks. Senegalese security personnel,
who were accused of siding with their rowdy fans, reportedly beat up Gambian
player Dawda Bah.

News of the bad treatment meted to the Gambians in Dakar drew crowds of angry
youths into the streets of Banjul, Serekunda and Farafenni Sunday morning and
led to the massive vandalisation of Senegalese owned businesses, attacks on
Senegalese nationals and widespread looting of shops. Angry youths set up
roadblocks in the Greater Banjul area asking passengers for their ID cards and
beating up all persons identified as Senegalese nationals. One unfortunate
Senegalese national was pulled out of a car in Talinding and beaten to death.
In Latrikunda and Bundung, angry youths set fire to the compounds of two
Senegalese families. An unspecified number of cars belonging to Senegalese were
burnt to ashes around the Greater Banjul area. Marauding groups of angry youths
conducted house-to-house searches for Senegalese nationals and those found were
seriously beaten.

The greatest destruction happened in the markets. Groups of angry youths
attacked Senegalese shops at Serekunda, Latrikunda, Tabokoto, Bakoteh,
Farafenni and Banjul markets, ransacking and looting goods. The popular weekly
Sunday market day (Lumo) in Farafenni was cancelled as a result of the
violence. Among the major businesses looted in the Greater Banjul Area were
Touba Workshop, World Mobile Heavens, a Senegalese owned mobile phone retail
outfit on Foday Sillah Drive, Westfield and Mobile Heavens owned by former GRTS
director Tombong Saidy. The looting went on until around 5pm when the National
Guard was able to bring the situation under control. By sunset Sunday, the
situation was tense but calm. Schools around the country will remain closed on
Monday.

The treatment of the Gambians in Dakar was in sharp contrast to how the
Senegalese were treated when they played the Scorpions in Banjul several weeks
ago. The Senegalese visitors were given tight security and not a single
incidence of violence was reported. Some observers say the violence in Dakar
was partly an expression of rising anti-Gambian sentiment in Senegal resulting
from the Gambia government's alleged support to Senegalese separatists in the
southern region of Casamance.


Copyright © 2003 The Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica
Global Media (allAfrica.com).

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