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3/25/1980 - Mean Streets by Bowden S. Quinn

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS BSQ P O Box Banjul The Gambia Mean Streets March Mr Peter Bird Martin Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire Dear Peter Nobody speaks worse Africans another African To Gambian friends describe I taking hands visiting Dakar They night trust Senegalese matter friendly seemed above follow anyone offered guide somewhere restaurant The Gambians macabre tales collected human skulls which enabled diamonds deserts Mali Unwary strangers their hands never heard again I discounted warning example modern African mythology until I several items Dakar about arrests charged murder possession human heads Apparently efficacy skulls recovering diamonds credited It therefore mixed emotions I Dakar weeks I having neither heart It certainly splendid metropolis compared Banjul where tallest building stories The skyline Dakar viewed island Gore eastern shore white buildings rising above trees waves AtlmItlc 0oe81 crashing their probably prettier sights along West African coast The diference between Banjul Dakar style reflected cities taxis Here unmarked rides shared The route circuitous driver takes other passengers going anywhere bututs about cents In Dakar taxis painted yellowdblack fitted meters there combining rides The starts CFA francs cents mounts quickly I between every I There slmilarity Banjul however driver knows tourist passenger still circuitouso Dakar woman beautiful disfigurements ugliness through closer inspec It lovely beaches sandy cliffs overlooking clear green water foaming littered Bowdon Quinn Overseas Journalism Fellow Institute studying colonial influences West African nations His current interest education The Gambia Senegal human excrement sewers drain filth cityts million residents The broad downtown avenues lined smart shops canopied trees Stylishly dressed persons blacl white crowd sidewalks Many people The Gambia number French expatriates Dakar They shows Senegal still dependent former colonial master friend incredulous SeneGalese French cabinet officer However I monochromism government economy makes independent enormous trade deficits elies outside development I Dakarts multiracialism reassuring guards rifles automatic weapons posted outside government dings street corners I forward I around Banjul I black sections Dakar without hearing usually hthearted persistent refrain Toubab toubab white However icult outsider limpse Dakr society Banjul Here I related I rarely without havin stranger strike conversation Some money In Da people accosted those least their livin people always either golden bracelets pebble necllaces Give which insist If stick bracelet pocket necklace Then where staying where Inevitably visited relative living country Then little money drink It after vinced repetitions anythin petulantly snatch their stalk I scene repeated scripted least dozen times youngsters seemed xange twelve their early twenties One older sophistica successful version He necklace bracelets invoked Allah witness brothers under When I wouldn francs dinner politely bracelets shook night I pFose brothers These professional beggars numerous leeches swamp difficult However worst element Dakar society I encountered visit The warnings I given about times taken I target robbery attempt Another assaIt expression Just before sunset crowded sidewalk heart fashionable downtown number youtIAs verged tried divest camera Though shake American I elderly business partner handbag lifted middle crowded street Accordin West Africa magazine crime cities grown years accompanied ruption every level government The state marketing company almos billion CFA francs siphoned employees officials revealed Still I petite French housewives walking alone through teeming marketplaces prses hands apparently doesn armed there The expatriates obviously On young French found modu_____s vivendi Bsmako I puzzled enables beggars crooks drivers distinguish visitors inhabitants answer In Dakar seemed suffering pangs development debility Senegal oldest French colony Africa inhabitants Dakar other principal cities rights French nationals since always enjoyed favored status their colonial_rulers They exempt example indinat harsh judicial doctrine summary viction punishment which French administrators weapon dispel slightest resistance French authority means secure cheap labor government private French companies It years before African intelligentsia pampered their acceptance French society bestirred themselves legislative assemblies participated since nineteenth century remove burden shoulders their countrymen In effect French divide conquer system their colonies minimum expenditure which primary every colonial regime This practice especially evident school system French developed West African colonies In words governor general French educational policy instruire masse dowager instruct masses release eliteS This resulted essentially school systems bright students opted French society another majority sudents trained those subservient posts which filled Africans costs Thus French educated clerks rained soldiers words modern historxan However British admired efficiency system Lod Halley ponderous A_nArican paring French system West Africa British greater precision objective unity method He summarized characteristic features French educational policy exclusive French teaching language coordination advanced educational oppor tunities demand highly trained workers strong emphasis vocational training adoption curri xamination standards France The emphasis vocational training policy limiting educational opportunity needs French administration commercial interests certainly prevent rising rustration students education opportu which I spoke letter increases separation between R members society those would benefit their skills An example occurred school versi students boycotted classes gesture solidarity students university school science tested government attempt agreement serve 7ears public service their studies The government reacted harshly claiming student strikes illegal Students arrested forced others prevented resuming classes One would thought President Leopold Senghor shown sympathy In several elite students recent raduates signed political letter which among other educational demands called scholarship holders choose their careers Senghor still having problems schools In speech January claimed political adversaries preparing power using tical violence opposition using students teachers foment trouble Earlier month child killed during student riots Zinuinchor major Cassunance region Senegal which south The Gambia neglected government Dakar The French press students demonstrating against malpractices school principal Senegalese minister information denied reporte He attributed disturbances which included hotel vandals instigated citizen nearby Guinea Bissau Senegl serious trouble R conomically politically according West African press European observers In country returned limited multi party democracy reforms failed satsify opponents xuling party For number opposition parties restricted forced accept label imposed government identifying political spectrum conservative Marxist Leninist Some opposition leaders refused accept these labels their political parties unofficial At least these unofficial parties appear stronger ofical Also Senghor changed could effect successor Some observers expected resign before present expires Another important change Senegalese politics split which developed between Senghor ruling Patti Socialiste powerful Mourides Muslim which strong supporter presi These Muslim brother hoods stronger force Senegalese society tribal allegiances Sexhor ability cooperate vious khalif Mourides important factor control Senegalese electorate twenty years The present khalif appears sympathetic Senghors policies members family oppoae governento Some khalif relatives associated opposition parties another caused calling Islamic republioo There appeared irreparable rupture between arabou Senghor adinistrationo In election Mouride leadership called followers abstain voting Senghor still commanding majority centers Mouride brother However between religious leaders ruling elite represent first change Senegalese society since expansion French colon alists their commercial centers coast second nineteenth century The European intrusion instability traditional Senegalese societies Mouride developed simultaneously blossoming French imperialism How either moment contributed other difficul determine interests French colonialists Mouride marabouts destroy influence feudal warlords controlled Senegalese hinterland nineteenth century Once these warlords vanquished their feudal system domination peasants eradicated Mourides French settled policy peaceful coexistence which based peanut export industry benefited groups Under French administrators there cadre Europeanized Africans typified Senghor replaced colonialists gradually little diversion their dream French sovereignty independence French African colonies hardly seems watershed Certainly Senghor policies after independence cause reverberations Senegalese society Nkrumah Ghana Sekou Toure Guinea Now however after years drought mismanagement peanut growing industry which accounts almost country export revenue keeping neither government peasant farmer afloat Earnings peanut sales petroleum imports which expected billion CFA francs In peanut production reaches about million This country lucky produces 00000 Las amounted producing billion CFA francs before figures billion revenue World prices peanuts peant products general decline little improvement T deteriorating dition agricultural economy murmurings rural revolt In areas farmers refused repay government loans Some apparently started cultivating crops There breakdown traditional system communal tenure holdings becoming single family concerns Where marabouts stand relation these shifts uncertain They benefied enormously material wealth political power their nance peanut growing Some observers bouts little exploiters peasants Others provide protection ravages corrupt bureau crats longer provided psychological secttrlty farmer durin great social upheaval Meanwhile government hastoback clock first years independence policy development propoded madou Dia leader Senegalese govern isoned allegedly attempting overflow Senghor Dia jailda leader official opposition gettingy credit resreetlon pollcles goveen somethi replace cooperative system which inefflclenc7dcorruption herproble facing goverent correct faile develop outlying regions Senegal which waain through Io years neglect The situation ironic because Casnce Senegal Oriental plentil water suppliesdgreat agricultural potential Experts Senegal could producing enough needs gcveent asked world unity eergency relief although obseers there crisis because stocks peast households The goveent would concentrate attention development these frontier areas political consequences investment growlng where almost million people predictable egoveen already taken ethnic appeals depressed regions December brought busloads Toucouleurs Fleuve region Drto participate celebration start stctlonoftheDiaD jointoperationthMalld Maitia which supposed Senegal River basin breadbasket West A More embarrassing goveent onDiaDditscompiontallD halted because ofresea byabfddoors Instead trying resolve problems goveent apparently resorting violence maintain authorlty violence which aimed teachersdstudents In speech following demonstration Ziichor Senghor called party members comits vigilance assist forces order carrying their duties According Wes Afric_ magazine teachers belonging teachers being hassed vigiltes I cites incident olack where three eachers abducted including suffered particularly pleastly thugs people start believe power practicing violence maintain their positions ficul believe Senegalese never revert violence achieve political magazine state I political violence erupt would expect Senegal recent history Senghor nouncements would afect University Dakaro When I visited oampus appeared though transfer schools languages human sciences campus St Louis scheduled October apparently taken place As there students campus designed Gambisua friend heard students complain about inadequate facilities Yet I there students moved quietly between classroom bildings played tennis courts universitaire Hathered sidethellbrarywaitingforit0 eafternoonand seemed general interested Dakar Jazz festival progress Senegalese politics Such quiescence however along turbulent environment Government supporters claim university radical academics preach revolution homes university steps Gambian riend visited Senegal spoke several university students complained ruling party control school administration Governent scholarships disappear I poliioal iconoclasm student background Advancemen hinges allegiance Partl Socialiste estudents claimed children persons close seats power through chool without othering examination privileged students dlficult government gives while school It appears Senegal decisive point history educational system cener whatever shake occurs Schools stable society monuments country uturebin unstable societies breedin places present trations reservoirs rievances How inherited educational system responsible Senegal troubles difficult seems contradictory school system based separation elite spawn government which claims socialist conditions school contributed unrest I undeveloped countries tendency limit their educational spending interest visible invest ments schools frthest capital usually first pinch I tryin extent schools promoting change country I tinue study Seneal Best wishes Bowden quinn