Y'en a Marre

Image From: africamotozoo

This post is in fact named after a youth political movement in Senegal-because the translation of the name pretty much sums up the political atmosphere of Dakar.

Y'en a Marre ---> Enough is Enough

I will talk extensively about the movement of Y'en a Marre, since they are tied in with other opposition movements, and are the backbone of most of the protests taking place in Dakar and surrounding regions. However, the political scene in Dakar right now does not revolve around this movement, it merely encompasses the mood nicely. Additionally, this is not a complete account of the elections. The influences in the present political climate are incredibly complicated, and I don't have the time to fully explain absolutely everything. But this should give you a general idea. To my dearest friends that were here last semester: if I left something out that you feel is critical, email me and I'll edit this post. (If I agree with you, of course. haha)

The current President, Abdoulaye Wade came to power in 2000 as Senegal's third president since their independence in 1960. His election was seen as a dramatic change for the state, after a nearly 40 year rule by Socialist Party, which was hand-picked by the departing French colonial government. The first waves of opposition to President Wade occurred in the last round of elections in 2006, after Wade's first 5 year term. He was faced by a strong opposition even then, and the climate after the elections was of shock. It is generally assumed that he won simply because of the sheer number of opposition candidates who simply spread out the votes of the opposing Senegalese, helping him win the majority. There is a strong suspicion that he rigged those elections to keep power. The records have been checked by international 3rd parties, but the system itself is inconsistent and virtually impossible to verify if he tampered with the votes. For a great documentary on the subject I recommend the film Democracy in Dakar. It highlights the beginnings of Y'en a Marre and the climate of the elections in 2006. 

President Abdoulaye Wade
Image From: Conférence de Lyon de la Soliderité Numérique

 

This year, 2012, marks the year of his 3rd presidential election period. If he is not voted into office, he will have held power for 12 years. If he is reelected, by the end of his third term he will have been in office for 19 years. This year, widespread opposition against Wade started the weekend of the 23rd of June. It was the same weekend I arrived in Dakar-and an interesting first impression. My experiences with the demonstrations are still on this blog in earlier posts from June. The protests, now referred to as M23, were reactions to several things that affected the political climate. First, were the angry responses to the constant electricity and water cuts. Second, the proposed constitutional reform from Wade. The roots of these cuts could fill several books... But I made a list of the following grievances: 

• 2 aging hydroelectric dams in the north-which if properly restored could prevent desertification from the north, increase irrigation in agricultural sectors (which could decrease dependence on on imported rice/etc). 
• Fun Fact: the money invested to repair the dams would cost the state less in the long run than if they continued to import food products from Thailand and surrounding countries.
• A power company tied up in international aide. This company, Senelec, has a close relationship with the government-where they sometimes receive funding and support. But it is also a reflection of where the government chooses to spend its money-only around election time will they support Senelec with the funds they need to increase energy circulation around the country. Senelec also receives funding from international actors-including the United States government. But this aide is not enough to fix the problems that plague this aging system-Senegal's government is not doing what they should to assist the company.
• Swindling of public money that ends up in the pockets of those in power rather than toward effective measures of development. 
• The proposed constitutional reform from President Wade.

The proposed constitutional reform was the most dramatic and blatant of Wade's attempts to unfairly keep control of the presidential office since his reelection in 2006. He wanted to decrease the percentage of votes needed for a candidate to win from 50% to 25%. He also proposed to create a elected vice-presidential position. At the time it was strongly suspected that he would continue to run for a third term, that the reduction of necessary votes was Wade's attempt to secure his position before he even applied for candidacy.

Fun Fact: President Abdoulaye Wade was born May 29, 1926. He is 85 years old.  

The vice-presidential position seems harmless until you look closer at his government. His son, Karim Wade, holds four minister positions in the government. However, his support within the Senegalese population is thin. He does not speak any of Senegal's native languages. No Wolof. No Pul. No Seereer. He speaks only French. Abdoulaye Wade married a French woman, Viviane Wade, so maybe he grew up only speaking French with his family. But for the greater part of Senegal, this is a mark of deep disrespect. French is spoken in Senegal thanks to colonialism. It is not a language of Senegal, it is a left-over effect from a colonial government. It is also widely acknowledged that Karim isn't a talented politician, and his leadership of four ministries in the government is merely due to the influence and support of his father. Now, with the creation of a vice-presidential position, the people of Senegal saw too clearly what Wade wanted-a special position for his son.

Thus, the equation for June went like this:

Power cuts + Unpopular Constitutional Reform = Fed up Senegalese

"Don't touch my Constitution..'No' to Wade's 3rd term"
Image From: Le Blog de Malaïla

 

The demonstrations of the 23rd and 24th of June have come to been called the M23, les manifestations de le vingt-trois, or simply m-vingt-trois. They and Y'en a Marre have similar goals in mind when in comes to peaceful demonstrations, or manifestations, in French. However, it is important to keep in mind that M23 and Y'en a Marre are separate entities.

Watch this video from BBC for some visuals.

Fun Fact: Senegal has never had any violent demonstrations before the M23 movement.

This presidential election of 2012 was going to be controversial no matter what. Everyone knew that Wade was not going to peacefully leave office, even though he has already completed two terms in the presidential office. His reasoning for continuing is based on which terms he fulfilled. During his first term, the duration was 5 years, as mandated in the constitution. However he changed the term from 5 to 7 years. When he was reelected in 2006 he served a 7 year term. He claimed he was eligible to continue in the elections of 2012 because his first 5 year term didn't count. He was under the impression that he had a right to a second 7 year term, keeping him in power for a total of 19 years if his reelection is successful. Though this seems excessive by Western standards, keep in mind that Senegal's first two presidents, Senghor and Diouf, were both in power for 20 and 19 years each. However, they both held power for 2 terms, not for 3. There were immediate outcries from Senegalese citizens, opposition parties, and international actors. The United States was quick to advise Wade to step down for the sake of peace-and to avoid the violence that would undoubtedly erupt if he continued in the elections. Despite the warning, he filed for candidacy along with 16 others. 3 candidates were rejected, and Wade was allowed to continue, making the total number of candidates for the 2012 elections 13. 

Several factors point again to injustice within Senegal's legal system. The constitutional council which reviewed the candidate list was appointed by Wade and were also a part of his ruling party, Parti Démocratique Sénégalaise. Additionally, the most controversial of the candidates who were cut was Youssou N'Dour. The Council said that he didn't have enough of the 80,000 signatures needed for candidacy, but he had such popular support that there was no way he didn't get enough. The interesting part is that he appealed to the same voter base as Wade. N'Dour doesn't have much political experience. He is an incredibly accomplished businessman and a famous mbalax singer. He is one of the most famous music artists in Africa, and a cultural icon for Senegal. Though he promised to surround himself with experts, it's undeniable that his lack of political experience was a huge problem, but it was his name that gained him popularity. His name is known everywhere and his lack of experience in the political arena was made up for by his seemingly genuine intentions to work for the development of Senegal. His voter base was mostly made up of the uneducated Senegalese that grabbed at his celebrity status and a new face in politics. This is the same voter base of Wade-the uneducated citizens that will take whatever he says for granted because he's been in office for so long-not to mention the part of society which gains something (financially or otherwise) from Wade being in power. Thus, Wade's appointed Council took out an immediate threat before the campaigns had even begun.

With the announcement of the candidate list, midnight on Friday the 27th of January, came the first round of protests and riots. Each stage of the elections has seen increased violence. Wade refuses to step down, or even treat the bouts of violence with any importance. He was quoted in a Senegalese newspapers saying "c'est juste un petit vent" or "it's just a little wind." At this point two people had been killed in clashes with the police, and he still was not giving the opposition to his candidacy a second thought. Two deaths which the president wrote off as if it had no significance.

The following series of demonstrations can but lined up with the subsequent stages of the elections. Y'en a Marre repeatedly start peaceful protests and sit-ins. In the beginning, these protests were infiltrated by Wade supporters who provoked the demonstrators into violence. Eventually, the police used live rounds against the crowds and were immediately condemned by...well...everyone. 
 

Now, to speak of the strong youth opposition...

Y'en a Marre is more than just a movement of discontented civil society members. It was created last January, with backbone of youth taking its head. Members include lawyers, doctors, journalists, young students, and rappers. Though membership is from a diverse cross-section of society, its strength comes from the huge amount of youth support. 

Fun Fact: nearly 50-60% of Senegal's population is under the age of 30.

Their focus is primarily a poor banlieu (neighborhood) of Dakar. It is the part of the city where most of the young men from the countryside live when they move to Dakar searching for work. This exodus of youth from the countryside to Pikine is a reflection of Senegal's emigration problems-the youth leaving Senegal to try and find work in Europe or the United States. However, they usually don't find jobs and an income to send home to their families. 

Fun Fact: Senegal's unemployment rate is close to 49%.

Usually they encounter racism, terrible working conditions, and never make enough money to come back home. In some instances they leave Senegal's coasts in small pirogue fishing boats for Spain-and hundreds have perished at sea. Thus, the banlieu of Pikine represents the underlying feeling of desperation that occupies the minds of Senegalese youths. It is in this environment that Y'en a Marre operates, trying to spread ideas of voters' rights and representation among the youth whose most pressing objective is to find resources to support their families in the countryside. 

 

Y'en a Marre's movement is a movement de melange, a mixed movement. With support coming from all corners of society-journalists, taxmen, artists, etc they represent the NTS, nouveau type de Sénégalais, new type of Senegalese. The NTS are nonviolent, civil society members whose outlook is focused around dignity, pride, and patriotism. With such a widespread demographic within Y'en a Marre, what do you think is the easiest way to spread new ideas? Music. Musicians are a huge part of Y'en a Marre and music is how they spread their hopes and ideals. Senegalese rap can be summed up as l'espoire de Pikine-the hope of Pinkine. While American rap has transformed into mostly a collage of drugs and sex, Senegal uses rap and music as a form of revolution. 

Fun Fact: Urban Guerrilla Poetry: using current events to make music, ie power cuts, Wade killing people in rallys, etc. 

The need to reach out to the population came from the realization that few Senegalese citizens realized what was at stake in the coming elections. They knew that it is normal for politicians to buy votes in the countryside with promises of development. It is in this time period that development of the countrysides spikes with support from politicians. Villagers will remember the name and face of the man that built them a school, or financed the digging of a well in an agricultural region, or restored an old bridge. Y'en en Marre expanded their influence from the banlieus of Dakar to the countryside, spreading their ideals of dignity and the right to make decisions for yourself-without the influence of a manipulating candidate or a religious leader telling their disciples who to vote for. They seek to equate selling votes with selling one's soul or dignity. 

"We will feel we are in a democracy when we feel the powers of our communication to get people involved and thinking about politics...The shape of Africa is a question mark. The third generation of Africans should be asking the questions of why we are trailing behind when we have the resources to move ahead...Change will happen because we refuse to be the world's wastebasket or their breadbasket." -- Thiat aka Keurgui, a leader of Y'en a Marre, far right in above photo-- from a political discussion we had on 10/13/12.

For a good article on their perspectives: http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/senegalese-youth-mobilise-defence-republic-0

To get their perspective/videos of demonstrations/campaigns: yenamarre-senegal.com

The strength and determination of Y'en a Marre and M23 are against Wade's system, and all the power that goes with it. In the timeline of this election period, the clashes between the opposition and Wade's forces have grown more pronounced. Peaceful demonstrations have turned violent. Police presence has been expanded, and have gone from normal security forces to full riot police.

• Dec 26-Jan 27: Candidates filed papers for Candidacy
• Protests had begun, but were peaceful. 
• Jan 27: Candidate List Announced by Constitutional Council
• Demonstrations turned to riots as Abdoulaye Wade was approved for Candidacy and Youssou N'Dour rejected.
• Click here for the story behind the first two deaths in the protests. 
• Protests Continue
• Feb 6: Campaigning Begins
• My birthday! But also the day that Candidates began to tour the country, trying to gain supporters.
• Here is a list of the candidates.
• Feb 13: Voter Card distributed
•  Too Far Update on how many have died, and recent atrocities by the police.
• Feb 26: 1st Round of Voting Announced
• Tonight.. we will see in which direction the elections will turn.  
• But for now, this is the people's reaction: Booing.
• March 18: 2nd Round of Voting Announced

Above I posted the timeline with reference articles so the climate around these elections could be seen and possibly felt. The protests have risen in intensity, and the number of fatalities are rising with them. Tonight, the first round of elections will be announced, and all we can do is sit back and hope that the voting is not tampered with. Tonight we will see the direction Senegal's stability will go. I only hope that its track record as the most stable democracy in West Africa will be maintained. 

Y'en a Marre. Enough is Enough.