VZCZCXRO7402
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #1027/01 2191207
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071207Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2910
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1248
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0406
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001027 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL/AE AND INR/AA 
 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCEHRS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINS KDEM SOCI PHUM SG
SUBJECT: SENEGAL:  RELIGIOUS BROTHERHOODS' GROWING INFLUENCE ON 
UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY: Senegal's public universities have enjoyed a long 
history of religious tolerance and secularism.  During the past 
decade, however, they have witnessed an unprecedented growth of 
religious identity and expression.  The dominance and influence of 
Sufi Muslim brotherhoods and the less mystical and more legalistic 
Ibadus on university campuses has created a unique microcosm which 
has sometimes led to violent conflict among the sects' younger 
followers.  Growing evidence points to a departure from the 
post-independence secular separation of mosque and state in 
Senegalese higher education in favor of a growing role of religion 
in daily campus life.  END SUMMARY. 
 
THE GOOD OLD DAYS 
----------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Senegal's long tradition of secularism in education can be 
traced back to its first President, Lopold Sedar Senghor.  As a 
former professor, his views on education emphasized a secular French 
education based on the arts and sciences.  As a result, the 
Senegalese tertiary education system flourished as a bastion of 
tolerance focused on "educational enlightenment."  In the past 
decade, a growing segment of the student body has embraced a more 
contrarian view based solely around religious devotion.  With this, 
a lack of respect for divergent beliefs has caused tensions to mount 
between various groups.  A University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) 
English professor said that "Students never saw religion as an issue 
and it was hardly considered a controversy on campus.  There have 
always been students within the university system who embraced 
somewhat radical leanings; however it was always around political 
ideology (i.e., socialist versus communist parties).  The religious 
tension evident today goes against the traditional university way of 
thinking." 
 
US VERSUS THEM 
-------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Religious organizations have established their presence 
within campus life to a degree that has never been seen before. 
Students are encouraged to join based on their allegiance to a 
brotherhood.  Once established within a group, members adhere to a 
new identity that transcends education within the university.  The 
largest groups consist of various splinter organizations within the 
Mouride and Tijiane Sufi Islamic brotherhoods.  Another growing 
segment on university campuses are the Ibadu. (NOTE: The Ibadu 
adhere to a stricter, legalistic Sunni interpretation of Islam and 
have gained a presence on several campuses.  They abhor the Islamic 
brotherhoods, which are oriented around the veneration of saints and 
are relatively more mystical, as going against the true teachings of 
the Koran.  END NOTE.)  The Ibadus on UCAD's campus are advocates of 
single-sex dormitories rooms and more modest dress for all female 
students.  Reports of students from other nations espousing radical 
Islamic views on campus could not be fully corroborated.  Poloff 
received several reports of various students being taunted due to 
their divergent religious beliefs while a UCAD Christian group 
alleged that several of their fliers were ripped off walls by 
Islamic brotherhood members.  Another recent trend is loud religious 
Tijiane chanting lasting well into the night that disrupts other 
students, and praying on the floors of various academic buildings. 
 
VIOLENCE ON CAMPUS 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) A recent incident at the University of Bambey (in Diourbel, 
northwestern Senegal, 146 kilometers from Dakar) highlights the 
growing tension on Senegalese campuses.  A campus event sponsored by 
the Tijiane brotherhood turned violent after a Tijiane-invited guest 
began making controversial statements against other religious 
groups.  Tijiane students were also found to be spreading materials 
during the event accusing the Mourides of Freemasonry (NOTE: 
Freemasonry is viewed very suspiciously in some sectors of 
Senegalese society which consider it incompatible with Islam. END 
NOTE.)  Several students were injured as a result of rocks and other 
objects being hurled between the two groups. Tensions were diffused 
after the school administration and a Mouride caliph were dispatched 
to calm tensions between the irate students. 
 
OTHER INCIDENTS 
--------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Another recent incident at UCAD witnessed Tchantacune 
students attacking a campus security guard after they were asked to 
lower their voices while chanting evening prayers.  (The Tchantacune 
are an armed militant branch of the Mourides with a following among 
poor urban youth.)  Poloff has also received reports of student 
tension revolving around control of campus mosques. (NOTE: The 
 
DAKAR 00001027  002 OF 002 
 
 
Ibadus built and run the mosque on the UCAD campus, but in 2006 
tension erupted when Tijiane students attempted to gain control of 
the mosque.  University of Bambey officials are wary of building a 
mosque for this reason in spite of Ibadu students having funds to 
build one. END NOTE.) 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Strong indications point to a concerted effort by the 
Muslim brotherhoods and other groups towards imposing their 
respective wills upon university campuses.  With this, a general 
lack of tolerance and respect for divergent religious views has 
pervaded Senegalese university campuses.  The feeling that one's 
outlook is superior to another's has resulted in skirmishes.  These 
incidents can be considered part of a larger trend within Senegal's 
younger generation towards handling sectarian differences with 
confrontation instead of tolerance.  President Senghor's hope of 
establishing a secular model of higher education is further from 
realization than before. 
 
SMITH