This morning two members of Salif Sadio's MFDC, who had been taken into custody by the security forces of the Senegalese government, were released near Bignona (Senegal). In particular, the news was announced by the Community of Sant'Egidio, which has been carrying out the mediation work between Dakar and the main Casamanian political-military movement. In fact, the latter party has been in conflict with the central authorities of the country for over 30 years.
The release took place thanks to the cooperation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Community is grateful for ICRC’s valuable support. Moreover, the liberation of these individuals happened thanks to the "measures of mutual trust", which were established during the last peace talks at Sant'Egidio.
As a result of the same agreement, on December 26, a meeting regarding the issues of the ongoing peace process was held between MFDC’s representatives and the population. This gathering occurred in the village of Djiro (Sindian-Bignona district).
The Community of Sant'Egidio emphasizes that these are two significant steps toward a definitive peace in the Casamance-Senegal region, and it renews its commitment to dialogue between the parties involved in the conflict.
Ziguinchor, January 1, 2018
Press release
