The entity that is meant to be “independent and impartial” will work to restore the truth and pinpoint responsibility after the violent protests that rocked the country in March 2021.
The government of Senegal is finally breaking the silence on the series of violent and deadly protests that took place last month. During a meeting between members of the government and the press, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sidiki Kaba, announced the establishment of an independent and neutral commission of inquiry.
“It is a commission, which is open to members of the opposition, and civil society will be able to be there,” the Minister of the Armed Forces said, adding that the objective is to allow the said commission to “work independently on what people from different sides had done.”
The setting up of this commission comes amid “conciliatory” decisions made by the government. While no date has yet been announced for its effective implementation, its missions are known. It will be responsible in particular for shedding light on the presence or not of “hidden forces” among the demonstrators, or that of “thugs” alongside the Police.
During his speech, Sidiki Kaba gave the “part of truth from government”. In a memorandum, he reported 12 dead, more than 300 civilians wounded and 100 on the side of the security forces. Around 145 public and 139 private buildings were also ransacked, according to the minister.
In addition, he pledged that the legal action in the Adji Sarr vs. Ousmane Sonko case, which triggered the unrest, will take its course and “justice will deliver its verdict independently.”
Sidiki Kaba, also Senegal’s former foreign minister seized this opportunity of the meeting to pay tribute to the security forces who “showed restraint” during these protests.
ARD/cgd/fss/abj/APA