Civil society will take part in the dialogue initiated by the Head of State, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. She invites other actors, in particular the opposition, to participate. She is convinced that dialogue is beneficial for the country.
On April 3, the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, launched an appeal to dialogue. An invitation that the opposition threatens to boycott. The actors of civil society interviewed recall that they have already received from the Ministry of the Interior the terms of reference (TDR), an approach that they have appreciated. For Djibril Gningu, from the research and advisory support group for participatory democracy and good governance (GRADEC), the development and sharing of TDR by the power in place attest to its good will. “We work, in Afrikajom Center, on issues of peace, security, democracy and human rights. So, we always agree for political dialogues and we invite, all the time, all the actors involved in the dialogues to come, to participate, “says Alioune Tine who considers that the call to the dialogue of the President of the Republic is” reassuring “.
This position is shared by the secretary general of the African meeting for the defense of human rights (Raddho), Mouhamadou Seck. For him, dialogue makes it possible to discuss the real problems that engage the life of the nation. He thinks that dialogue should facilitate the improvement of public, economic and social policies; Which makes him say that “it’s a good thing for the country”. He disapproves of the opposition’s decision to boycott dialogue. “I could not endorse that there is a deliberate will of a certain opposition to boycott these meetings. History has always shown that the empty chair policy has never resolved questions of national interest. Consequently, I invite all the actors, including the opposition, to take part in this meeting, ”he specifies.
Consolidate our political system
Djibril Gningue recalls that May 28 was institutionalized by the outgoing power as a day of national dialogue. Given the political crisis that our country has gone through between 2021 and 2024 and the strongly polarized relationships between opposition and power, he believes that dialogue is an excellent thing.
Dialogue, he underlines, can make it possible to pacify the political situation and stabilize institutions. In addition, he adds, there is the need to perfect our political system which is attached, largely, to the electoral system. From its point of view, there are a number of points on which there were differences that the country has dragged over twenty years. “If the current regime is open to a debate on these questions and to have an overtaking, a consensus, I find that it is beneficial for the country. This will consolidate our political system, ”underlines Mr. Gningue.
For Alioune Tine, we are “in a period of global tipping, geopolitical tilting, technological tilting, then democratic tilting”; Hence the need for “collective reflection”. Returning to the opposition’s decision to boycott dialogue, Mr. Tine argues that Fricajom can “understand” that parties are in this position. “In any case, we respect each other’s positions, but still we invite all political parties to participate,” he said. He also believes that it is important that we discuss consensus on extremely important issues for the political and democratic future of Senegal. “Now we will also ask the government and the presidential majority to work in the direction of giving as much credibility as possible, guarantees on what will happen,” says Alioune Tine. Written questions he promises to do everything to make all the voices heard.
For the Raddho, the essential questions which must be discussed during this dialogue relate to the independence of justice, the participation or name of the Head of State in the Superior Council of Magistracy, the judicial reforms, the reform of the prosecution, the establishment of the Constitutional Court, the retirement age of the magistrates, the choice of magistrates at the level of certain jurisdictions, etc. Recently, the parliamentary opposition has formulated its intention to boycott the session on issues written in the National Assembly. She indexed the posture of the president of the institution, but also that of the Prime Minister. Mouhamadou Seck of Raddho, noting the will of the head of government to go regularly to the National Assembly, speaks of democratic advance. He believes that it is not a good idea to boycott this session since, he specifies, the opposition has only the hemicycle to participate in democratic reflection. And to add: “It should not miss this opportunity. They (its members) were mandated by the population and the latter expects them to do their job as a parliamentarian, ”he says. In his opinion, we have to go beyond this partisan quarrel and be concerned with the population. “The debate must take place as it has always been the case. They are and must constitute the counter-power within the parliament, ”says Mr. Seck.
Aly DIOUF
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