The response of Barthélemy Diaz, the mayor of Mermoz Sacré-coeur, to the speech of the Senegalese head of state Macky Sall, is frontal. The latter threatened the demonstrators, during the Presidential Council for Integration and Youth Employment organized on Thursday, April 22, 2021 in Diamniadio. “The policy of terror and intimidation will not pass,” replied Barthélémy Diaz, in a statement to the press on Saturday 24 April at Parcelles Assainies. The politician reminded the President of the Republic that any attempt to intimidate or deprive the freedom to demonstrate guaranteed by the country’s Constitution will not be accepted.
Mermoz Sacré-cœur Mayor Barthélemy Diaz and former Mayor of Dakar Khalifa Ababacar Sall participated in a “Ndogou-Débat” Saturday, April 24, 2021 at Parcelles Assainies at Unit 9 Basketball Court. A prayer was said for the 14 martyrs of the recent demonstrations following the arrest of the leader of Pastef-Les Patriotes Ousmane Sonko.
During this meeting with the people of this locality, Barthélemy Diaz faced the press. He addressed many points but also gave an answer to the posture of President Macky Sall during his speech of Diamniadio who openly threatened the demonstrators of the month of March. ‘It won’t happen again,’ he said. A statement that the opposition members have not digested. The Mayor of Sacred Heart Mermoz has chastised this threatening posture of the Head of State. “Concerning the last exit of Mr. Macky Sall in Diamniadio. An exit that is well weighed and weighed. We would like to tell President Macky Sall who had to say that what happened during the last events in Senegal will not happen again. We want to join President Macky Sall in his thoughts, to tell him that we confirm that for us too, we say that what happened at that event will not happen again in Senegal, because we will no longer accept it. We will accept nothing more than a dying regime, a desperate regime, a draconian regime, which allows itself to recruit nerds, to arm them with weapons of war, I weigh my words, bombs, automatic weapons to shoot down, I weigh my words well, Senegalese citizens who only express a constitutional right, a right to protest in a country where democracy has been relegated to the back ground in favour of dictatorship.” he declared.
Mermoz Sacré-cœur Mayor Barthélemy Diaz and Khalifa Ababacar Sall @Capture Facebook
On the issue of local elections postponed twice. On the opposition side, December 2021 would be the ideal month for this election, but the government wants to hold them in January 2022. A political calculation according to Barthelemy Diaz, and for good reason: the Africa Cup of Nations that will take place at the same period in Cameroon and in which the national team of Senegal will participate.A sporting event that could distract Senegalese citizens from the real electoral stakes. The mayor of Mermoz Sacré-cœur insisted on the real intentions of the President of the Republic on the organization of local elections but also on his desire to run for a third mandate already challenged by the opposition. On the issue of local elections, the mayor of Mermoz Sacré-cœur was also firm: “I repeat that the words of President Macky Sall are a strategy of intimidation, a strategy of terror, a strategy that consists today in refusing to organize local elections. Since President Macky Sall did not have the courage to look the Senegalese in the eye and tell them that he wanted to run for a third term, he decided by political tricks to obtain a third term, and failing to obtain a third mandate to obtain a third half mandate. That is to say that this mandate must end in 2024, how to bring it in 2025/2026 without going through elections. The objective of this man is to do 5 years in power without organizing any election. The locals were supposed to hold in 2019, they were not held in 2019, he had promised to hold them in 2020, they were not held in 2020 today he is proposed December 2021, he refuses and he proposes January 2022. Is there a Senegalese willing to explain why President Macky Sall is willing to squabble for a month. This is because in January 2022, there is the Africa Cup of Nations.” questions the mayor of Mermoz Sacré-cœur.
Audience to the press release @Capture Facebook
Barthélemy Diaz invited the Senegalese people and especially the Senegalese youth to remain mobilized because the fight must continue. “If President Macky Sall does not respect the electoral calendar, the worst is to be expected. Either he drives us out of the country or we drive him out of the country,” he said.
Concerning the candidacy of the President of the Republic Macky Sall for a third term, Barthélemy Diaz remains firm: “From now on, the third term is banned. Intimidation will not pass. This intimidation, this policy of terror, this fear will not pass. We will no longer accept armed nerds killing our children in broad daylight with automatic weapons that are provided by the power, nervis that are supervised and protected by law enforcement.” he concluded.
As a reminder, the political climate in Senegal remains tense following the latest demonstrations. Since the conditional release of Ousmane Sonko, outside the head of state, supporters of the ruling party such as Madiabel Diagne or Mame Mbaye Niang continue to express their position on the case on television sets.What opposition members call “virulent” and “intimidation”. An opposition which, for its part, remains mobilized and will not let anything pass, as stressed the mayor of Mermoz Sacré-cœur during this press conference.
Audience to the press release @Capture Facebook
