Youssouph originally comes from the northern part of the Casamance, close to the border of the Gambia. This part of the Casamance is also still known to be one of the regions where the MFDC is still active and has a number of bases.

According to Youssouph, the conflict is much intenser in the area north of Bignona, saying how the rebels are still hidden deep inside the forests there and have the ability to attack villages or roads. Youssouph said that these attacks have been made easier because many of the soldiers stationed in the Casamance are not native to the region, thus not knowing the terrain or the people here. In his own experiences, the region has been a victim of the violence between the army and the MFDC, especially around 20 years ago. He said that attacks would happen in periods but that he did not have any personal experience with those as he was sent to his family in the Gambia to avoid being caught in the middle of an attack. Although most of the violence has calmed down, leaving only robberies and raids as means of attacks by the MFDC according to Youssouph, the organisation should not be underestimated. 

Youssouph said that the MFDC was still a force to be taken into account when discussing the Casamance. Saying that even though they are weaker than before, the MFDC and local politicians should still be involved in peace talks concerning the region. He gave an example of a meeting, although he could not recall when it happened, that involved the government of the Gambia, the government in Dakar and various NGOs such as the Red Cross to discuss peace in the region. He said that such conferences were not efficient as it excluded the people who were involved in it. I asked if he thought whether or not the MFDC still has a large influence over the region or how it is perceived from the outside. Youssouph considered the question and said that he definitely thought that the MFDC still has relevance over the region, although they likely lost some ever since the death of Salif Sadiou, one of the organisation’s former commanders, in 2023. He said that if the government in Dakar pushes the MFDC too much, its commanders will rob civilians or kidnap soldiers to make themselves heard again. After which, the Senegalese army will send patrols to the forests to capture the rebels and destroy their bases, which causes the MFDC to flee towards the Gambia until things quiet down again and then for matters to repeat.

I asked Youssouph why he thought that this conflict has been going on for so long, especially if nothing has changed about it. According to Youssouph, it arranges the government to keep the region in this position, allowing it to be under the control of the government, who use the military to ensure their will while exploiting its resources. He added an example of how he perceived the inequality of the region, saying that he could not name anyone with a high position in the Senegalese government who was from the region except for Ousmane Sonko, who was imprisoned at the time of this interview. As a personal anecdote, Youssouph said that this happened to him as well, saying that he applied to become an officier in the Senegalese army after finishing his military service but that they rejected his application, simply because he was from the Casamance according to himself.

Next: Bassirou on Ziguinchor’s outskirts

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