In the 1980s, Senegalese ethnic harmony was tarnished by the emergence of the Mouvement des Forces DeÌ mocratiques de la Casamance (MFDC). The major demand of this organization was the independence of Casamance, a southern province of Senegal. In the initial years of the movement (1980-1990), the MFDC capitalized upon the grievances of the local populations, and received support from them. In the first half of the 1990s, it began to receive substantial support from neighboring countries and in response came to rely less upon the support of local constituents. It escalated the violence not only against the state but also against local populations, which reinforced its growing dependence upon external patrons rather than popular support. In the 1990s, the government of Senegal worked to cut off both external and internal support to the MFDC, by improving its relations with the neighboring countries and by practicing a politics of "charm" vis aÌ vis the local populations. In response, the MFDC has become engaged in the illegal exploitation of the natural resources. As the MFDC has shifted from one support base to another, it has pragmatically altered tactics and objectives. This demonstrated adaptability of the MFDC has important implications for our understanding of post-Cold War civil conflicts, and for the governments' efforts to resolve them. It suggests that the distinction between "greed" and "grievance," which motivates much of the recent scholarly debate on ethnic conflict, is largely a false one, and that governments must address both in their efforts to resolve such conflicts. / Senegalese National Gendarmerie author.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nps.edu/oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/2750 |
| Date | 06 1900 |
| Creators | Faye, Wagane. |
| Contributors | Lawson, Letitia, Piombo, Jessica, Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.) |
| Publisher | Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School |
| Source Sets | Naval Postgraduate School |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xiv, 99 p. : ill., 7 tables ;, application/pdf |
| Rights | Approved for public release, distribution unlimited |
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