Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance
The Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (French: Mouvement des forces démocratiques de Casamance, MFDC) is the main separatist movement in the Casamance region of Senegal, founded in 1982. It was supported by Guinea-Bissau President João Bernardo Vieira until he was overthrown in 1999. It relies mainly on the Jola people. Its armed wing was formed in 1985 and is called Atika (Diola for "the combatant").
| Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance | |
|---|---|
Mouvement des forces démocratiques de Casamance Participant in Casamance conflict & the Guinea-Bissau Civil War | |
 Flag of the MFDC[1] | |
| Active | 1982–present |
| Ideology |
|
| Leaders | Augustin Diamacoune Senghor (1982–07) Salif Sadio (2007–14) Caesar Badiatte (1982–14) Mamadou Niantang Diatta (1982–14) |
| Area of operations | Casamance, Guinea-Bissau, the Gambia |
| Battles and war(s) | Casamance conflict Guinea-Bissau Civil War ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia |
Its leader was Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor, who died on 13 January 2007. Senghor signed a peace agreement with the government of Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade in 2004. However, several factions of the MFDC refused to participate in the peace deal and continued their fighting. This division has deeply divided Casamance's independence movement.
Involvement in the Gambian constitutional crisis
The movement was rumored to have involved itself militarily in the 2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis and the subsequent ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia on Yahya Jammeh's side.[2][3]
See also
References
- Minahan (2002), p. 396.
- Kwanue, C. Y. (18 January 2017). "Gambia: Jammeh 'Imports Rebels'" – via AllAfrica.
- Ewubare, Kess. "BREAKING: Gambian Navy desert Jammeh, declare allegiance to Barrow".
Bibliography
- Minahan, James (2002). Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World. Greenwood Publishing Group.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)