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Momodou
Denmark
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 Posted - 28 Sep 2006 : 00:40:29
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CASAMANCE CRISIS HINDERS TRADE
By Modou Jonga
The recent crisis in The Senegalese region of Casamance has seriously hindered the economic activities of Senegalese and Gambians who depend on the cross border trade in firewood, timber and charcoal to make ends meet.
Speaking to this report, Manneh Camara, (a woman) said she has D25, 000.00 (twenty-five thousand dalasis) worth of charcoal and firewood in the Casamance forest, which she could not bring in due to the recent crisis.
The economic activities of the people dealing in timber and charcoal have haulted, said Morro Jouray, a resident of Kafuta Village. He said they stopped going to the bush because all their compatriots (the middle men) have migrated from their villages due to the recent fighting. According to Mr. Touray, the trade in both timber and Charcoal has drastically declined, and as a result the price of timber has soared from D20, 000.00 (twenty thousand dalasis) per truck load before the start of the crisis to D22, 000.00 (twenty-two thousand dalasis). Mr. Touray told me that he has seven truckloads of timber, which are yet to be transported from Casamance to Kafuta due to the crisis. We have stopped business because the Senegalese Soldiers are said to be stationed there. From the early stages of the crisis, this reporter was informed that a statement purportedly calling on the residents of border villages to desist from doing business in, or, going to Casamance for was issued.
Alfusainey Bah, also a businessman dealing in charcoal across the border was said to have had his bicycle seized by the rebels loyal to Salifu Sarjo. Some timber dealers in Sohm were said to have been brutalised by the said rebels before the intervention of the Senegalese Soldiers, because they were found stealing charcoal from Casamance forest.
A warning note was issued to various villages namely Kafuta, Sohm, and Bullock asking residents to stop doing business in the Casamance until further notice. “Currently, there is a decline in the supply of both charcoal and timber from the region,” emphasised a businesswoman.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 82/2006, 27-28 September, 2006
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