VZCZCXRO5551
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #2410 3531136
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191136Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9776
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS DAKAR 002410 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL AND INR/AA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS SOCI PINR SG
SUBJECT: Ivorian Reggae Star PNGed from Senegal 
 
REF: Dakar 2287 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Famed Ivorian Reggae star, Tiken Jah Facoly, was 
recently declared persona non grata in Senegal after commenting that 
if President Wade loved his people, he should step down from power. 
This decision once again spotlights the arbitrary nature of 
Senegal's judicial system and brings into question the extent of 
freedom of speech in Senegal.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During a concert on December 12, Ivorian reggae star Tiken 
Jah Facoly told a rapturous audience that Wade should leave power 
and that if he does not want his son, Karim, to be questioned by the 
National Assembly he should leave him at home (Ref A).  Facoly, well 
known for his attacks against African leaders he sees as corrupt, 
was subsequently declared persona non grata in Senegal by the 
Interior Ministry for his "insolent and discourteous" remarks and 
was barred from ever entering the country again.  This decision was 
taken on the personal initiative of hard-line Interior Minister 
Ousmane Ngom.  In an interview, the Minister tried to justify the 
decision by saying that people cannot just come to another country 
and speak out against a sitting president.  He then went on to say 
that they could have taken more draconian measures but chose not to 
and that Facoly needed to write a letter to the Senegalese 
authorities to apologize for his actions.  In an interview, Facoly 
said he had been surprised by the decision, saying he had always 
considered Senegal a democratic country where freedom of expression 
was valued. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶3. (SBU) Declaring Facoly persona non grata is a worrisome 
development as it comes on the heels of the arrest (and subsequent 
release) of numerous journalists who were critical of President 
Wade, leading to questions about the direction Senegal is taking 
especially as far as freedom of expression is concerned. 
Furthermore, Facoly's Reggae music is very popular among youth 
throughout West Africa.  His is taking President Wade to task during 
what are politically difficult times for the Wade government most 
likely triggered a frightened, knee-jerk reaction from the Minister 
of the Interior who has shown himself to be zealous in protecting 
the President.  Another interesting question is how this latest 
incident squares with Senegal's commitment to the concept of freedom 
of movement as enshrined by both the ECOWAS charter and Senegal's 
pan-African constitution. 
SMITH