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Referendum on Senegalese Independence to be Held on 12 December
Montevideo, 16 November 2021
For the last few years, tensions have been rising in the Territory of Senegal. Previously a colony of France, Senegal was awarded to the Federal League due to its contribution to the Weltkrieg, especially on naval warfare and the Battle of Iberia. The Federal League was in an awkward position, being the only non-European country to hold territory in Africa, and also was criticized for the treatment given to its subjects. Following the guerrilla warfare waged in Senegal since the decade of 1950, Pampean President Leonel Brizola granted autonomy to Senegal in 1968, although the Senegal War didn't stop: the Senegalese rebel leader, Mbanyi Mbaye, said he wouldn't stop until "total liberty was achieved." The conflict increased by the 1970s, and a refugee crisis ensued. Most of the refugees fled to neighboring colonies, such as the Romanian Gambia and Swedish Mauretania. However, a minority was housed in the metropolitan area of the Pampas. The government couldn't tolerate the war anymore, and a massive military campaign in Senegal was undertaken by the Federal Army. In a matter of ten years, the Senegalese Independence movement was crushed, and Mbaye was rotting at the bottom of the ocean. While the territory was pacified, Senegal was no more: villages turned into ghost towns, famine and disease were widespread, and the land became utterly useless. Instead of being a lucrative land, Senegal was a burden on the finances of the Federal League. Not only that, but the war also tarnished the country's reputation.
Despite those factors, several presidents have refused to let Senegal run its own course. Although former president Tabaré Vázquez showed sympathy for the Senegalese Independence Movement back in 2002, the military coup of 2006 prevented the independence of the Territory of Senegal. As dictator Marcus Bentacur once said, "we know what's better for them." Nonetheless, the first president democratically elected since 2006, Luis Quintiliano, has demonstrated support for the Senegalese struggle for independence. Elected in 2019, he managed to form a coalition composed of both left-wing and right-wing parties. Despite fierce opposition from conservative elements of society, president Quintiliano has managed to pass the Independence Bill in 2020. According to the law project, a referendum on Senegalese independence should be held within a span of three years. Since then, the Territory of Senegal has been preparing for the first democratic experience in its history. On 1st November 2021, the Senegalese governor, Fernando Sadiacu, announced that Senegal was ready to hold the independence referendum.
On 11th November, the date of the referendum was announced: 12 December of 2021, a Sunday. On 15th November, the campaign for the independence referendum began. The Separatist Coalition, led by the Patriotic Union of Senegal, is represented by Salif Gueye. The Loyalist Coalition is led by the Democratic Party, whose leader is Fernando Sadiacu, the current governor of Senegal. Polls indicate that the majority of citizens will vote for independence, although not by a large margin.
It is also important to note that the Independence Bill will grant a period of two years for Senegalese-born citizens to opt for Pampean citizenship upon Senegalese independence.