Senegal: IDPs remain vulnerable as obstacles to return and reintegration persist

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^{31 December 2008}

Senegal’s Casamance region, to the south of Gambia, has witnessed protracted low-intensity confl ict since 1982 between government forces and the separatist Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC). A 2004 peace agreement was rejected by an MFDC faction, and occasional armed skir­mishes, violent attacks and political killings continued into 2008, leaving an unknown number of people still displaced across Casamance. Current estimates range between 10,000 and 70,000 IDPs.

The extent to which those who were displaced merit a specific response is not clear, as the conflict has generated different types of vulnerable groups, including people remain­ing in confl ict areas. IDPs were being supported by family members or host communities while commuting in some cases to their home areas by day, to tend their orchards and engage in those agricultural activities that did not require their constant presence. Long-standing land disputes and population move­ments have generally complicated their efforts to access compensation for lost property or assert their land rights.

According to the evidence available, most IDP returns have been spontaneous and unassisted, to insecure communities without basic infrastructure. In some cases in 2008, armed men attacked IDPs to prevent them from returning. Because of landmines planted by the MFDC, freedom of move­ment has generally remained limited. Gender-based violence is believed to be widespread, but has tended to go unreported.

Senegal has no IDP-mandated bodies but regional development plans have targeted IDPs among others. Because of the lack of access, international organisations have outsourced most programme implementation to local NGOs. The ICRC resumed as the only international body present in conflict areas in April 2008, after a fatal mine accident in 2006.

For the situation to improve, recovery and reintegration efforts should be undertaken regardless of the final resolution of the conflict, based on a clear profi le of the IDP population.