Between 1989 and 1991, the conflict sénégalo-Mauritanian opposed along the Fleuve Senegal two bordering countries, the Mauritania and the Senegal.

This crisis showed the rupture of their diplomatic relations during several years, of tens of victims, the thousands of Réfugié S on both sides, without speaking about the considerable effects on the interior policy sénégalaise. It durably marked the relations between the various communities.

Origins of the conflict

For several centuries the area of the river has been inhabited at the same time by black populations autochtones and white populations, initially Arab Berbères then , coming from north. The successive periods of Sécheresse still accentuate these migratory movements and the Nomades Moors tend to sédentariser, in particular in the cities. The development of the river and in particular the construction of the stoppings, such that of Diama, still deteriorate precarious balance between stockbreeders and farmers. In Mauritania the land reform of 1983 reinforces the place of the State and moves away from the usual modes, raising with more acuity the problem of the many transborder peasants. In parallel the country, anxious to reinforce its identity with leaving independence, reinforced its bonds with the Arab world, whereas Senegal remains attached to the Francophonie.

Thus the weight of the history and in particular of the Colonization by its artificial delimitations, the inter-ethnic confrontations, the physical and economic environmental pollution, leads as of 1988 to a degradation of the relations between the two States which, of incident in incident, harden their respective positions. An explosive situation is created, that will not fail to poke the Médias, prompt to privilege the ethnic dimension of the conflict.

Chronology of the events

April 9th, 1989 Diawara, a locality of Eastern Senegal, is the theater of a new fixing between shepherds Peuls Mauritanians and peasants Soninké Senegalese. The army Mauritanian intervenes, two Senegaleses are killed, a several seriously wounded and dozen retained as hostages. From April 21st to 24th they are tradesmen white Moors who see their plundered shops, of the professionals Moors black burned alives in their foures being used as dibiteries (lamb barbecue), those which were with kaolak were covered by the cheks of tidjanya. At the end of April hundreds of Senegalese are killed or mutilated with Nouakchott answer to the exactions of Dakar and in several other Mauritanians cities, and when repatriations commenceé, the Moors are the subject of sharp reprisals starting from April 28th. There the official figure is of 60 victims. Each country then decides to repatriate its nationals, thanks to a Airlift offered by Algeria and Morocco. The state of emergency and the Couvre-feu are founded on the Région of Dakar in order to contain an over-excited crowd. But at the same time and according to several diplomats Dakar there is saw habilliés men from of held sport come to demolish the doors of the shops of the Mauritanians, and to leave while letting crowd plunder the climbing is avoided. 160.000 Mauritanians and 70.000 Senegaleses are repatriated at this moment-là.et they had mutulations there on women and made children known as have by Senegalese soldiers has L airport of Dakar and as that was on black Moors the Senegalese State filmeé the scenes and said that S was senegalaises in provennace of nouakchott, and among the assimilations of the Morrocans were taken for Mauritanians and saw themselves bringing has nouakchott, the L embassy of Morocco took them and without speaking they are left for Morocco

August 21st, 1989 the diplomatic relations between the two countries are broken, they will be restored only in April 1992. The border sénégalo-Mauritanian is reopened on May 2nd, 1992.

Assessment and consequences

These massive departures disturb the balance of the valley of the river, in particular involving a fall of the agricultural production and an increase in Déforestation. In Mauritania the sector of the building and maritime fishing, traditionally ensured by the Senegaleses, suffer from these expulsions. On left bank the return of the refugees causes an overload of the infrastructures (water points, health facilities) already saturated. The Département of Podor sees its population growing of 13,6%, that of Matam of 12%. Population of certain villages double.

Many associations and left are created to come to assistance of the refugees, but the International assistance is dried up little by little, and their fate remains the most alarming problem today. According to HCR - the principal international agency which as of the beginning took in hands the reception of expelled -, of the refugees are always established along the Senegal river. In 2007, the President of Mauritania, then candidate, decided in favor of the return of his compatriots living to Senegal and Mali against their liking.

In the field of the interior policy of Senegal, the conflict could contribute to the rise of PDS and Abdoulaye Wade. It also served as revealing with the social crisis by the surge of the refugees. The country was weakened compared to its neighbors. The problem of the layout of the border with the Guinea-Bissau arose in the tread, then the difficulties with the Gambia led to the dissolution of the Confederation of Sénégambie in 1989. Finally this episode of the modern history marked the spirits durably and nourished some resentments on both sides.

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