A Country of Defiance: Mapping the Casamance in Senegal

A spatial history of the Casamance conflict in Senegal, tracing the origins of the conflict to contested spaces and places where nationalism and separatism took root. Each chapter examines the development of a different piece of the still unrealized Casamançais nation, revealing a layer of counter-mapping below that of separatist leaders. The conflict began in 1982 when separatists marched into Ziguinchor to remove the Senegalese flag and replace it with a white flag. Senegalese security responded with force, driving the separatists into the forest. The Casamance conflict continues to the present day, leaving over five thousand dead, four hundred killed or maimed by land mines, and eight hundred thousand living in insecurity. Ordinary Casamançais have demonstrated a diversity of opinions about the separatist project, making the Casamance "a country of defiance."

Format: Hardback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 07 November 2023
Publisher: Ohio University Press

This book delves into a comprehensive historiographical analysis of human geography and a social history of nationalist separatism and cultural identity in southern Senegal. It explores the origins of the conflict in Casamance, a region located south of The Gambia, tracing its roots back to the early days of colonialism. Mark W. Deets examines the development of various spaces and places that played pivotal roles in shaping the Casamançais nation, including rivers, rice fields, forests, schools, and stadiums. Each chapter delves into the spatial discourse of grievance that transformed these spaces into places, ultimately contributing to the emergence of a separatist nation. However, it is important to note that not all Casamançais identified with these spaces and places in the same way. Some refused to associate their beloved culture and landscape with the separatist project, revealing a layer of counter-mapping beneath the leadership of figures such as Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor and Mamadou "Nkrumah" Sané.

The Casamance conflict officially commenced on December 26, 1982, following an oath-taking ceremony in a sacred forest near Ziguinchor. Hundreds of separatists from the Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MFDC) marched into the town, intending to replace the Senegalese flag in front of the regional governors office with a white flag. However, they encountered resistance from gendarmes, who were outnumbered by the marchers. As a result, government surveillance, arrests, and interrogations ensued, leading to further violence in the following year. Gendarmes attempted to disrupt another MFDC meeting in the sacred forest, but were met with a burst of violence that resulted in the deaths of four separatists, their bodies mutilated.

This book offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of nationalism, separatism, and cultural identity in southern Senegal. It sheds light on the historical roots of the conflict and its impact on the lives of the people in Casamance. By examining the spatial dimensions of the conflict, the book provides a fresh perspective on the ongoing struggle for self-determination and cultural preservation in the region.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780821426005