Here is what has happened since my last post:
- Riots on Friday left one police officer dead, and the remnants of burned tires and market tables in the streets
- Senegal's Constitutional Court has said that Youssou N'Dour is not eligible to run, as 4000 of his required signatures were deemed invalid
- The court denied the appeals of N'Dour (to be able to run), the opposition (to disqualify Wade) and Wade (to disqualify certain opposition candidates)
- A youth who was said to be a leader in the M23 protest movement was killed in Podor
- 80% of news websites operating out of Senegal are said to be not functioning properly
- An M23 protest is scheduled for 3pm tomorrow at Place de l'Obelisque
- The opposition and Youssou N'Dour have all been quoted as saying that they will not allow Wade to become president for a third term. Opposition parties say that they will make the country "ungovernable".
In all this, the international media is starting to realize that the story is not that Youssou N'Dour, international superstar, is getting into politics- it's that 80+-year-old Wade isn't getting out of politics.
More updates are posted on my Twitter.
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Evac Pack
Was it only yesterday that I wrote the post below?
All of Senegal is now waiting, bracing itself to find out whether President Wade will be allowed to run for a third term or not. Yes or no, there will likely be violence and protests in the streets tonight. Opposition parties got started early today, protesting at the Obelisque, despite a government ban.
The Canadian embassy has advised us to "maintain a high level of vigilance". My family and I made lists tonight of what we would bring in case of evacuation. Instead of my two suitcases and two carry-ons, I may only get one backpack- my Evac Pack. We've been choosy.
I don't think I would be so worried or uncertain, if not for our friends here who evacuated from Cote D'Ivoire in 2002. They came with almost nothing, the sounds of gunshots still ringing in their ears. Tonight, we are praying that our country doesn't come to that- and I'm getting my audio recorder and camera ready in case it does.
Update 9:45 pm, Jan. 27: Wade can run. Here we go.
Great coverage by Rukmini Callimachi of AP here.
All of Senegal is now waiting, bracing itself to find out whether President Wade will be allowed to run for a third term or not. Yes or no, there will likely be violence and protests in the streets tonight. Opposition parties got started early today, protesting at the Obelisque, despite a government ban.
The Canadian embassy has advised us to "maintain a high level of vigilance". My family and I made lists tonight of what we would bring in case of evacuation. Instead of my two suitcases and two carry-ons, I may only get one backpack- my Evac Pack. We've been choosy.
I don't think I would be so worried or uncertain, if not for our friends here who evacuated from Cote D'Ivoire in 2002. They came with almost nothing, the sounds of gunshots still ringing in their ears. Tonight, we are praying that our country doesn't come to that- and I'm getting my audio recorder and camera ready in case it does.
Update 9:45 pm, Jan. 27: Wade can run. Here we go.
Great coverage by Rukmini Callimachi of AP here.
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