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4/16/1980 - Students in Command by Bowden S. Quinn

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS BSQ Uncle Joe Guest House P O Box Banjuly The Gambia Students Command April Mr Peter Bird Martin Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelook Street Hanover N H Dear Peter The Casamance plenty visitor drier northern Senegambiae This fertile region tropical forests Guinea coast offers produce watered savannah sunny woodland In Ziguinchor largest situated about halfway estuary which makes length Casamance Rivery streets tropical Les Halles Giant baskets bananas truck Fruitsellers tables laden mangoes oranges papayas pineapples On ground piles roundy green watermelons small bowling balls sweet Lining sreets women behind white circular trays filled yellow cashew applesy small bitter fruity shaped capsicum pepper whose flesh juicy which dries mouth cotton chewed A bottom fruit grows purple cashew whose sonous shell fires expose within The acrid fumes roasting process ohlckeny Africans Other women peanuts which salted watery shell roast filled Giving pinkish color The staples Casamance howevery The people saltwater variety river marshes cultivate other paddies rainy season still imported China Many kinds saltwater market barracuda catfish eaten often tilapia which catch hundreds shallow brackish watery another small which sweet flesh The usually cooked peanu often served bitter sauce sorrel Perhaps because abundant varied Ziguin relaxed atmosphere other ciies Itve visited With about inhabitants twice Banjul constant honking which torment Gambian capitaly skinned visitor targe beggars hucksters Dakar One almost undisturbed along paved Bowden Quinn Overseas Journalism Fellow Institute studying colonial influences West African nations His current interest education The Gambia Senegal streets lined feathery trees through quatieF mudbrick houses corrugated roofs shaded dense mango trees A sroll through downtown section night visiting movie One almost seems recognize forgotten adventure story buildings railed balconies above arched porticoes beneath hotelts crowded dining street white tablecloths overhead sylvan square front governorts dence handsome lampposs nineteenth century style Until months similarly illuminated nighttime promenades charm walks small Sates summer evening darkness after sunset because students broke almost every outdoor during riots January They buildings looted mayor Those disturbances still talked about I visited being issue election scheduled place after I The mayor running position tical coordinator everyone I talked assured chance The people angry antagonizing dents causing riots which resulted death youth policeman I heard different versions events number times I asked about Accounts killing ranged defense single officer surrounded bloodthirsty blooded murder group policemen hiding student participatln demonstrations The explanation which truth given young includin school students claimed present fatal shooting They group demonstrators school punish students continuing attend classes despite strike Armed policemen uarded school The crowd began throwing rocks police retaliated first through choking mists fired One student others wounded crowd ttered The cause strike behavior schoolts principal apparently almost unbelievable gance eotism Many stories about rudeness condescension which I heard repeaed several times extreme probably exageratlons fabrica tions seems sufficiently obnoxious disliked almost contact However altlough students complained about conditions school especially boarders I heard accusations outright mistreatment principal The protestors claim joined students other schools solidarity which extended pathy strikes schools other parts country estimates number protestors thousand appears account shooting above other comments I heard school students favor strike intimidated leaders I generally admitted strikers joined former students eager retaliate having kicked school hooli opportunity create mayhem In beginning teachers their classrooms urged students return school govern representative visited school accused inciing students teachers became angry joined strike The ownspeople apparently feared students demanded government They accuse mayor proeting prlncipl return having received school money intended support scholarship students They blame darkened streets students broke lights mayor ceding students demands administration having lights repaired months later The leaders strike expelled school principal removed The students desks their classrooms whitewashing classroom walls which during Easter vacation which coincided visit response their protest conditions The principal friendly The policeman transfered received punishment I And mayor apparently position political patron dispenser rebuff seems remedy whatever legitimate complaints students townspeople because other candidate member ruling Patti surely government Dakar which ultimately responsible decision support principal Violent student protests unique Africa Third World especially aluab study because school university students arethe vanguard modern society developing country I Ziguinchor disappointed attitude students light power their So close election people about politics reaction students townspeople politics worth getting involved because politicians corrupt concerned themselves I would sympathize attitude I viewed students victims excesses strike conments I heard students impression neither better leaders deprecate Some talked change One voting lowered student would government Another talked students workers joining everything government since independence because worthless But I think accurate expression students feelings cared nothing studies He explain clear thinking terms personal success societal reform Moreover I talked expressed slightest condemnation students actions I believe reason students enthusiasm constructive reordering society petitive elite which profit present system Education their entitlement share spoils enjoyed corrupt politicians civil servants fathers mothers brothers sisters other relatives those names African extended families escape their crushing poverty So every student every woman hrough family claim wealth student someday receive interes supporting students A perceptive analysis situation competing elites found Th_ New Elites Tropia Ar published introduction editor P C Lloyd He wrote Let presume growth Afri economies hoped African politicians present rates overseas investment internal savins The expansion bureaucracies experienced decade considerably present elite proportion vacant posSs their children Competi within elite higher posts become intense aspirations eliSe frequently rewarded The frustrated among elite elite toward protest ments among elite masses taking leader positions Such movements adopt socialist ideology conflict effectiveness depend ability their leaders break classic Marxist dogmas largely intellie African peasants workers reinterpret basic principles class conflict indigenous context Despite revolutionary appeal Lloyd prognosis optimistic compared continuing coups civil Africa which bring little corrective action The argument sounds loical Ziuinc least students still willing rules Best regards