VZCZCXRO9894
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0870/01 1901556
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091556Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2723
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 000870 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL AND INR/AA 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS PINR KDEM ECON SG
SUBJECT: Senegal: Opposition and civil society try to chart the 
country's future 
 
DAKAR 00000870  001.4 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On May 24, Senegalese opposition and civil society 
leaders concluded the Assises Nationales, a year-long national 
introspection to chart Senegal's future.  This National Dialogue 
involved one hundred and seven organizations including thirty 
political parties.  It was a successful exercise of participatory 
democracy aimed at diagnosing and developing a roadmap to strengthen 
Senegal's democracy and economy.  The main result was the adoption 
of a National Charter for Democracy and Good Governance.  The 
government boycotted the proceedings but President Abdoulaye Wade is 
aware of the force of this new movement and has called for a 
political dialogue to address the country's social and economic 
problems.   End Summary. 
 
Achievement of the Assises 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) One of the leading figures of the directorate of the 
Assises noted that their biggest achievement was "to end Wade's 
hegemony in the minds of the Senegalese and defeat his party in the 
March 22 local elections."  When the opposition boycotted the 2007 
legislative elections, Senegal faced a political deadlock 
characterized by an absence of dialogue on core issues such as free 
and fair elections or good governance.  However, the Senegalese 
refused to respond the opposition's call to take to the streets to 
pressure Wade.  But they did respond favorably when asked to be 
involved in the staging of a national dialogue to adopt principles 
and define strategies for the future.  Leaders of political parties, 
civil society, experts, and ordinary citizens met in local 
committees throughout the country to "define a vision and establish 
values and principles that will guide national reconstruction and 
the strengthening of the Republic."   The three-hundred page report 
synthesized from these debates is a blueprint encompassing all 
sectors of society, from core civic values to political institutions 
and economic policies.  Civil society leaders cooperated with the 
opposition who saw the benefit of allying with new figures to 
endorse alternative and fresh programs elaborated in a participatory 
process. 
 
A Charter for Democracy 
----------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The charter calls for pluralism as "the cement of national 
unity" envisioning a category of provisions that cannot be amended 
and a second category that can only be amended by referendum.  This 
is clearly in response to President Wade's tendency to amend the 
Constitution to combat political enemies or tip the balance in his 
favor before elections.  The Charter also calls for an end to "the 
trend to concentrate excessive powers in the hands of a President of 
the Republic."   Breaking with a long tradition, the Charter states, 
"The President of the Republic, from now on, shall be liable to 
legal prosecution during his term in office for certain crimes." 
The most controversial element in the Charter is, however, the 
prohibition for any first-degree family members (parent, child, or 
spouse) of a head of state to succeed him/her immediately after 
he/she leaves office.  This is clearly meant to be a barb at Wade's 
plan to have his son succeed him.  To redress the lack of judicial 
independence, the Charter calls for a stronger Constitutional Court 
that will include in its powers the adjudication of electoral 
issues.  The head of this Court would also chair the High Council of 
the Judiciary currently presided over by the President and which 
manages the career of senior judges and prosecutors.  This would 
deprive the Executive of the power to interfere in the Judiciary. 
For the lower courts, the Charter demands the creation of a Judge of 
Liberties who will protect those who are held in police custody 
prior to being charged.  Currently there is almost no protection for 
suspects as they do not have immediate access to a lawyer and can 
conceivably be tortured by police officers seeking evidence by any 
means. 
 
GOS remains hostile 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The government put a lot pressure on the organizers and 
almost succeeded in derailing the process.  For example, General 
Mouhamadou Keita, a retired Chief of Staff of the Senegalese Armed 
Forces, after tremendous pressure from GOS, stopped performing his 
crucial role of managing the team in charge of centralizing and 
sifting the data collected for the report.  The National Farmers' 
Association (CNCR) almost withdrew after the Minister of Agriculture 
threatened to end all support to their organization.  Women's 
organizations such as COSEF (Council of Senegalese Women), AJA 
(Association of Female Lawyers), Reseau Siggil Jigeen (Network for 
Women's promotion) did not take part because the ruling coalition 
threatened to punish those who participated. 
 
A Powerful Leader 
----------------- 
 
DAKAR 00000870  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) A major reason for the success of the Assises was due its 
chair, Amadou Makhtar Mbow, who headed UNESCO from 1974 to 1987.  He 
managed to keep the momentum of the Assises and was able to counter 
pressures and threats from the GOS.  One of the organizers told 
Embassy that Wade even had a plan to smear him by having the ruling 
party reveal that Mbow was not Senegalese but Moroccan and that his 
Senegalese father was not in fact his biological father.  Wade 
apparently discussed this scheme with a local writer, Hamidou Dia, 
who warned him that this could lead to bloodshed and vengeance; the 
President quickly dropped the idea.  Mbow enjoys deep support and in 
a meeting with Poloff he admitted that even though he was over 87 
years old he had accepted this difficult task because, "what is 
happening in Senegal today is not what we fought independence for." 
 
 
A transparent exercice 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) When the Assises were launched in June 2008 the organizers 
said that they would need a budget of 103 million CFA to complete 
the work.  In the end they managed to raise 109 million CFA.  They 
underlined that all the money was donated by Senegalese, 
guaranteeing a certain level of independence and protection from 
potential accusations that foreign donors were behind the exercise. 
A detailed account of the spending was given to the large audience 
that attended the closing ceremony of the Assises.  While civil 
society organizations and local political parties contributed 20% of 
the budget, by far the largest contributions came from businessmen 
and Senegalese living in the diaspora.  The single biggest 
contribution was made by Moustapha Niasse, a former Prime Minister 
and leader of the opposition party AFP (Alliance of Forces of 
Progress) who donated 35 million CFA.  The general public, through 
the purchase of coupons, contributed 5% of the budget. 
 
Wade calls for dialogue 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU)  On June 12, President Wade invited the opposition to have 
a political dialogue with his coalition.   An influential Member of 
Parliament of Wade's party told Embassy that President Wade is 
disturbed by the results of the Assises especially the prohibition 
targeting his son which would deny the latter the possibility to run 
for office when he leaves.  He noted that this prohibition 
"endangers the country's stability and requires a dialogue among 
political actors."  In his view, Wade also needs to initiate this 
dialogue because he knows that he needs to enact difficult measures 
to face the current economic crisis.  The opposition welcomed the 
offer but rejected conditionality about issues to be discussed, 
expressing a deep lack of trust in Wade who they believe is being 
insincere and Machiavellian in his calls for dialogue. 
 
COMMENT 
-------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)   The Assises Nationales are a turning point in Senegal's 
political history.  It has boosted participatory democracy and given 
a chance to all segments of society to elaborate an appropriate 
vision for Senegal.  Mbow noted that the conclusions reached are not 
for Wade to accept or refuse but that they are destined to benefit 
Senegalese citizens.  The leadership of the Assises has indicated 
that, within a month, it will put together a follow-up committee 
that will serve as a watchdog to defend democratic institutions and 
liberties in Senegal. 
Bernicat