VZCZCXRO1561
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0022 0071722
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071722Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1664
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS DAKAR 000022 
 
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 KDEM ECON SG
SUBJECT: Senegal: Protest Against Gaza Bombardment 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On January 2, 2009 The Association of Muslim 
students (AMS) of Senegal staged a small but vociferous 
demonstration against the bombings in Gaza.  The demonstration took 
place on the campus of the University of Dakar and was attended by 
approximately 1,000 students.  The leaders of AMS indicated that 
they will initiate a campaign of street demonstrations starting 
January 9 and are prepared to disobey any GOS decision to ban such 
protests.  End Summary. 
 
Low attendance 
-------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The demonstration did not attract a huge crowd, as most of 
the students who attended the Friday prayer at the University Mosque 
did not stay for the protest.  Despite much publicity prior to the 
event in the local media, non-student participation was minimal. 
 
Fiery rhetoric 
------------- 
¶3. (SBU) The demonstration was co-sponsored by students from 
Mauritania, Morocco, and Mali.  The leaders of the Association of 
Mauritanian and Malian students made remarks for the group.  They 
condemned rich Muslim countries that "remain inactive before these 
violations" and Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt, was portrayed as 
the accomplice of Israel in making a blockade possible.  Mansour 
NDiaye, the leader of the Senegalese Muslim students, called on 
President Wade to break diplomatic ties with Israel "which has acted 
beyond the limits of decency."  He added that his organization will 
institute a program named "Fridays for Palestine" with 
demonstrations to be initiated from various mosques.  He also 
announced the creation of a task force including local Islamic 
organizations to coordinate their actions. 
 
Opposition leaders condemn 
-------------------------- 
¶4. (SBU) On January 4, Senegalese National TV aired interviews of 
senior opposition leaders who strongly condemned Israel for its 
disproportionate reaction against the rocket attacks by Hamas. 
Opposition leader, Abdoulaye Bathily noted that such an intervention 
begets only more terrorism, while his colleague, Moustapha Niasse, 
President of the Alliance of Progress, indicated that this conflict 
put in context, was an extension of the North/South conflict.  He 
further added that the Palestinians and the Israelis must respect 
each other's sovereignty and strongly urged the Senegalese 
government to avoid breaking diplomatic ties with Israel. 
 
Wade plans to visit Gaza 
------------------------ 
¶5. (SBU) In a television interview, President Wade said that his 
calls for a ceasefire had not been heeded, adding that, "Israel made 
a mistake by launching a ground offensive."  Expanding on the idea, 
he added, "Israel could be bogged down and left with the annexation 
of Gaza as the sole option."  He announced that in his capacity as 
President of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) he 
will travel to Jordan to discuss the matter with the King whom he 
considers "open-minded," to Egypt to meet with President Mubarak, to 
Damascus and Beirut to meet Hamas leaders and finally to Israel and 
Gaza. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment: Senegal's overwhelmingly Muslim population has so 
far only verbally condemned Israel's actions in Gaza without staging 
mass organized protest as in other Muslim countries.  The 
Association of Muslim students, in cooperation with Muslim NGOs, is 
seeking to spark a more hard-line stance for Senegal.  If the 
movement they have initiated gathers momentum, it could lead to 
strong pressure from grassroots Islamic organizations and members of 
civil society to sever diplomatic ties with Israel.  End comment. 
 
Bernicat