The Senegalese President, Macky Sall, “strongly condemned” the “extremely serious” attacks against the State, the Republic and its institutions and against the Senegalese nation, through human violence, acts of looting against public and private property ” , which occurred last Thursday and Friday in several cities of the country after the two-year prison sentence of opponent Ousmane Sonko for “youth corruption”.
A press release published at the end of Wednesday’s meeting of the Council of Ministers indicates that President Macky Sall underlined “the imperative need to protect our Republic and preserve our nation in the face of the attacks which have become recurrent and multifaceted aimed at paralyzing our economy, the undermining of the reference brand image of our country, Senegal, which remains, above all, a great democracy”.
“Faced with the disproportionate gravity of the facts, the President of the Republic reiterated his determination to protect the Nation, the State, the Republic, its values and its foundations. To this end, he ordered the opening of immediate and systematic judicial investigations to shed light on the responsibilities linked to these events, ”specifies the same source.
“In view of the situation, Macky Sall has asked the government to prepare a complete memorandum on the deaths, acts of vandalism and mistrust of the State perpetrated during these demonstrations”, underlines we.
The Senegalese leader “also invited the government to make an exhaustive assessment of the economic losses and the material damage caused in order to have an exact assessment of the damage suffered”, indicates the press release, adding that the Head of State “was particularly keen to reassure our compatriots and the foreign guests who live among us, on the measures taken to preserve the stability of the country and the security of persons and property”.
Finally, he “reiterated his openness to dialogue and consultation with all the living forces of the Nation in respect for the rule of law and our common desire to live together in peace, stability and solidarity, as recalled during his message at the launch ceremony of the National Dialogue on Wednesday, May 31,” the statement said.
Returning to the launch of the national dialogue, he renewed “his commitment to support the work of the national dialogue commissions in order to find, with the actors involved, the necessary compromises and the consensus expected on all the priority and major issues addressed, and before consolidate our Republican Pact, the resilience and stability of Senegal, “said the text.
Finally, the Head of State indicated that “the final proposals and recommendations of the work of the commissions must reach him before June 25, with a view to the rapid implementation of the conclusions and presidential decisions resulting from the National Dialogue that he wishes, once again, inclusive, constructive and forward-looking”, continues the same source, noting that at the end of this dialogue, the Senegalese president “will address the nation to share the conclusions and give the main orientations which will allow the consolidation of our democratic and republican model”.
Violent demonstrations followed the sentencing of Ousmane Sonko, the declared presidential candidate of 2024, to two years in prison for having pushed a young woman under the age of 21 to “debauchery”.
A total of 16 people were killed in Dakar and Ziguinchor, and 500 people were arrested following these acts of violence unleashed in the country, according to the Ministry of the Interior, which accuses “occult forces” having infiltrated the demonstrations .
Among the demonstrators arrested are minors and foreigners, the majority of whom were, according to the national police, “in possession of Molotov cocktails, bladed weapons, and large-caliber firearms”.