> From: codoubop
>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 8:44 PM
>>> Subject: Bush's visit to Senegal
>>>
>>>
>>> Dearest friends,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> As you probably know, this week George Bush is visiting Africa.
>>> Starting
>>> with Senegal, he arrived this morning at 7.20 PM and left at 1.30
>>> PM. This
>>> visit has been such an ordeal that a petition is being circulated
>>> for this
>>> Tuesday July 8th be named Dependency Day.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Let me share with you what we have been trough since last week.
>>>
>>> 1- Arrestations : more than 1,500 persons have been arrested
>>> and put in jail between Thursday and Monday. Hopefully they will be
>>> released now that the Big Man is gone
>>>
>>> 2- The US Army's planes flying day and nigh over Dakar. The
>>> noise they make is so loud that one hardly sleeps at night
>>>
>>> 3- About 700 security people from the US for Bush's security
>>> in Senegal, with their dogs, and their cars. Senegalese security
>>> forces were not allowed to come near the US president
>>>
>>> 4- All trees in places where Bush will pass have been cut.
>>> Some of them have more than 100 years
>>>
>>> 5- All roads going down town (were hospitals, businesses,
>>> schools are located) were closed from Monday night to Tuesday at 3 PM. This
>>> means that we could not go to our offices or schools. Sick people were also
>>> obliged to stay at home.
>>>
>>> 6- National exams for high schools that started on Monday are
>>> postponed until Wednesday.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Bush's visit to the Goree Island is another story. As you may know
>>> Goree is a small Island facing Dakar where from the 15th to the 19th
>>> century, the African slaves to be shipped to America were parked in special
>>> houses called slave houses. One of these houses has become a Museum to
>>> remind
>>> humanity about this dark period and has been visited by kings, queens,
>>> presidents. Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, and before them, Nelson
>>> Mandela,
>>> the Pope, and many other distinguished guests or ordinary tourists
>>> visited it without bothering the islanders. But for "security reasons" this
>>> time, the local population was chased out of their houses from 5 to 12 AM.
>>> They were forced by the American security to leave their houses and leaves
>>> everything open, including their wardrobes to be searched by special dogs
>>> brought from the US.
>>>
>>> The ferry that links the island to Dakar was stopped and offices
>>> and businesses closed for the day.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> According to an economist who was interviewed by a private radio,
>>> Senegal that is a very poor country has lost huge amount of money in this
>>> visit, because workers have been prevented from walking out of their
>>> homes.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> In addition to us being prevented to go out, other humiliating
>>> things happened also. Not only Bush brought did not want to be with
>>> Senegalese but he did not want to use our things. He brought his own
>>> armchairs,
>>> and of course his own cars, and meals and drinks. He came with his own
>>> journalists and ours were forbidden inside the airport and in place he was
>>> visiting.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Our president was not allowed to make a speech. Only Bush spoke
>>> when he was in Goree. He spoke about slavery. It seems that he needs the
>>> vote
>>> of the African American to be elected in the next elections, and wanted to
>>> please them. That's why he visited Goree.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Several protest marches against American politics have been
>>> organized yesterday and even when Bush was here, but we think he does not
>>> care.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> We have the feeling that everything has been done to convince us
>>> that we are nothing, and that America can behave the way it wants,
>>> everywhere,
>>> even in our country.
>>>
>>> Believe me friends, it is a terrible feeling. But according to a
>>> Ugandan friend of mine, I should not complain because it Uganda one of the
>>> country he is going to visit, Bush does not intend to go out of the
>>> airport. He will receive the Ugandan President in the airport lounge.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Nevertheless, I think I am lucky, because I have such wonderful
>>> American friends. But there are now thousands of Senegalese who believe that
>>> for all Americans the world is their territory.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Love to you all
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Codou
>
>
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