Dakar, regional delegation (Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Senegal)

IN 1994 THE ICRC:
- visited 32 detainees in Gambia;
- visited 14 detainees in Guinea-Bissau;
- visited 64 detainees in Mali.

Introduction

The main concerns of the ICRC in this region were the political instability in Gambia, where the government was overthrown in July and an unsuccessful coup took place in November, disturbances and arrests in Senegal, and the deterioration of the situation in northern Mali.

The regional delegation pursued its activities aimed at supporting the National Societies of the region and disseminating humanitarian law. In January a regional workshop was held in Dakar to present a training programme in humanitarian law to the armed forces of West Africa. Nearly 40 officers from Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Senegal attended. The regional delegation also organized a seminar in Bamako (Mali) in June for the security and police forces of ten French- and Portuguese-speaking West African countries. The programme covered the application of humanitarian law, human rights and the maintenance of law and order. Another seminar was held in Dakar in July for the Presidents and Secretaries General of the National Societies of Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Senegal.

CAPE VERDE GAMBIA GUINEA-BISSAU MALI SENEGAL

CAPE VERDE

The situation in Cape Verde remained calm in 1994. The ICRC helped the Red Cross of Cape Verde complete its radio network, thus enabling the National Society's branches on all major islands to communicate by HF radio with its headquarters and with the ICRC regional delegation in Dakar.

GAMBIA

After the coup d'état in July, the ICRC approached the authorities on numerous occasions to request access to people detained following the change of government. An abortive coup in November resulted in more arrests. The authorities allowed the ICRC to visit detainees on two occasions. In July delegates registered 35 detainees, but were unable to interview them in private. In early December the ICRC finally carried out visits in accordance with its standard procedures to 32 detainees at Mile Two prison in Banjul and at a military barracks.

GUINEA-BISSAU

On 15 December ICRC delegates visited 14 people held at military bases for security reasons in connection with the failed coup attempt of March 1993. They had already been visited by the ICRC in 1993.

The ICRC helped the Red Cross Society of Guinea-Bissau to organize a first-aid training course and to keep up its emergency preparedness. At the end of the year the ICRC provided support for the National Society's cholera control campaign.

MALI

In June ICRC delegates visited 64 security detainees held at seven places of detention in Bamako, Kati, Segou and Djikoroni, including students arrested earlier in the year for taking part in demonstrations and members of the former government. A summary report on these visits was submitted to the Minister of Justice in November.

The ICRC was very concerned about reports concerning the deterioration of the situation in northern Mali. In August, the regional delegate went on mission to northern Mali and noted the mounting tension between Tuareg and Arab groups on the one hand and the armed forces on the other. Medical assistance was provided regularly to the hospital in Gao to enable it to treat people wounded as a result of fighting in the region.

SENEGAL

After the violent demonstrations in Dakar on 16 February which resulted in the death of six policemen, the government arrested dozens of people and detained them for an extended period. On 15 April the ICRC offered its services to visit the people arrested for participation in the demonstrations and detainees held for security reasons, including members of the opposition. Many of those arrested were released later in the year. The delegation and ICRC headquarters in Geneva repeatedly requested access to these detainees, but even though the President of Senegal agreed to such visits in principle, discussions with the authorities on the procedure for carrying them out were still going on at the end of the year.

The regional delegate travelled to Casamance regularly to follow the situation there. In comparison with previous years, there were fewer armed clashes and violent incidents. In early November the ICRC, together with the Senegalese Red Cross Society, conducted an assistance programme for 2,600 displaced people and returnees who were unable to farm the land before the rainy season in the department of Bignona, in northern Casamance.

In March the ICRC and the Senegalese Red Cross held a two-day workshop for 20 high-ranking prison officers of the Senegalese prison service, addressing such topics as the respective mandates of the components of the Movement, the major problems encountered in places of detention and the need for social assistance for detainees facing material difficulties. The delegation also cooperated with the National Society in its emergency preparedness programme and its activities for youth.