The platform “Aar Linu Bokk” composed of twenty political parties and civil society organizations, organized a large gathering on Friday, June 14 at 15h at the Place de la Nation also called Obelisk Square, for demand the light on the investigation broadcast by the British channel BBC and denouncing the involvement of Aliou Sall, brother of the President of the Republic of Senegal Macky Sall, in the country’s gas and oil exploitation contracts.
Despite the ban on the march by the prefect of Dakar for possible disturbance of public order and infiltration of malicious people, the initiators of the rally convened Article 10 of the Constitution which guarantees all citizens the right to protest. However, an important security apparatus was mobilized for this purpose and a confrontation was inevitable. Tear gas, burnt tires, rock throwing marked the Senegalese capital this Friday.
Many opposition and civil society leaders were arrested and released late at night by the police.
“We would like light to be made on these oil and gas contracts,” explains Simon Kouka of the citizen movement Y’en a Marre.
Ousmane Sonko, leader of Pastef, says the protests will continue for days to come. “It’s the beginning of a cycle,” he says after the failed rally.
