Former Senegalese President Macky Sall’s return to Dakar on Friday, July 17, to seek his country’s support for his candidacy for United Nations Secretary-General has triggered strong reactions from civil society organizations. While some groups welcomed the meeting between Sall and his successor Bassirou Diomaye Faye as a sign of political dialogue, victims’ associations and human rights activists have criticized the visit, citing unresolved cases linked to the crackdown on opposition protests during Sall’s presidency.
Victims’ groups denounce a lack of justice
After taking office, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye pledged that justice and compensation for victims of political violence between 2021 and 2024 under Macky Sall would be a national priority. However, nearly two years later, no major trial has taken place and compensation measures remain limited.
Boubacar Seye, head of a collective supporting victims of the former regime, said it was unacceptable for Macky Sall to be received without addressing the grievances of affected families. “Memory cannot be sacrificed on the altar of diplomacy,” he said, arguing that many families are still waiting for justice while victims continue to suffer the consequences of the repression.
Amnesty Senegal questions support for Sall’s candidacy
Seydi Gassama, executive director of Amnesty International Senegal, also criticized the idea of supporting Macky Sall’s bid for the UN’s top position. The organization is assisting 67 families of alleged victims in their legal proceedings. According to Gassama, Sall’s record on human rights should prevent him from receiving Senegal’s backing.
He accused the former president’s administration of being responsible for a period marked by severe repression, claiming that more than 67 people were killed during political unrest. “No country should support a person with such a record,” Gassama said.
Government remains silent on the visit
As of Wednesday, neither President Bassirou Diomaye Faye nor the ruling Pastef party had officially commented on Macky Sall’s brief visit to Dakar. However, the Front for a Pan-African and Anti-Imperialist Revolution (Frapp), a movement close to Pastef, strongly opposed the initiative. In a statement, the organization argued that supporting Macky Sall’s candidacy for a major international position would be unacceptable before victims receive justice and accountability measures are carried out.
Frapp also recalled that Bassirou Diomaye Faye himself was affected by the political and judicial tensions during Sall’s presidency, making any immediate support for the former leader’s international ambitions particularly controversial.
A symbolic meeting under scrutiny
Macky Sall’s meeting with Bassirou Diomaye Faye is seen by some observers as a possible diplomatic gesture, especially as the former president seeks international support for his UN candidacy. But for victims’ groups, the encounter highlights a deeper unresolved issue: whether reconciliation can move forward without accountability for past abuses.
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