- The pro-independence rebels of Senegal's southern Casamance province have retired their aging founding leader, Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor, after 20 years. The new elected leader of the MFDC rebels is believed to stand better chances of negotiating an autonomy deal for Casamance with the government of Senegal; if he succeeds in maintaining unity in the rebel group.
Father Diamacoune founded the Movement for the Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MFDC) more than 20 years ago. At that time, a popular opinion in Casamance - a southern province that is only loosely connected to the rest of Senegal in geographic and cultural terms - was that the province was economically neglected by the Dakar government. The MFDC took to arms to fight for full independence.
While the armed conflict in Casamance produced widespread suffering among civilians in the province, in particular due to landmines, the MFDC never gained widespread military control of the region. In 2001, Father Diamacoune and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade signed a peace agreement, which was to lead to more autonomy in Casamance. Negotiations with Dakar however led to splits within the MFDC.
At an MFDC extraordinary general assembly in Ziguinchor, the capital of Casamance, on Saturday, the rebels decided it was time for a change in leadership. Father Diamacoune was asked to step aside, in all honours, and take on the position of Honorary MFDC President. Given his poor health, the aging leader accepted the proposal.
Jean-Marie François Biagui, until now the rebels' Secretary-General, was unanimously elected the MFDC's new President. Mr Biagui was seen as one of the few MFDC executives capable of reversing the splintering of the rebel group and at the same time meet Dakar with a united MFDC voice. A growing number of local MFDC leaders have rejected the peace deals with President Wade and threaten to form new militias taking up arms against Dakar again.
Mr Biagui is seen as a moderate leader within the rebel group, favouring a negotiated peace deal with the Senegalese government. The new MFDC leader is further said to accept that full independence for Casamance is not a possible to achieve, but wants to achieve as much autonomy for the province as possible in forthcoming negotiations.
The change in leadership, according to MFDC sources, had been made necessary by Father Diamacoune's growing lack of control, due to disease and old age. According to MFDC spokesman Jacques Bassène, the retired leader had become "incapable ... of independently exercising his functions as President of the MFDC" at a time when strong leadership was vital.
The Senegalese press has described the MFDC's Ziguinchor extraordinary general assembly as a "coup d'état" within the rebel group. According to an analysis by the Dakar newspaper 'Le Quotidien', the MFDC had increasing been controlled by Father Diamacoune's brother while the rebel leader grew "more incapable". With the "coup" in favour of Mr Biagui, MFDC members had regained political control of the movement.
While the change in leadership may strengthen the MFDC and its control over pro-war splitter groups, observers in Dakar are nevertheless concerned by the move. After years of negotiations, Senegalese authorities knew what they had in a steadily softening Father Diamacoune. Mr Biagui, while currently moderate, could still turn into a hardliner if he is to unite the MFDC.
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