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Muslim Leaders in Senegal Resisting External Extremism, Committed to Fraternity: Bishop

Bishop Paul Abel Mamba of Tambacounda Diocese in Senegal. Credit: Courtesy Photo

By Agnes Aineah

Tambacounda, 15 October, 2022 / 5:49 pm (ACI Africa).

Religious leaders from different faith groups in Senegal have maintained a commitment to live in harmony with each other, a Catholic Bishop in the West African nation has said, adding that Muslim leaders in particular have expressed a commitment to resist the influence of extremism that is reining in the country’s neighbors.

In an interview with the information service of Propaganda Fide, Agenzia Fides, Bishop Paul Abel Mamba of Tambacounda Diocese in Senegal underlines the importance of daily relations to enable people of different faiths to live together peacefully.

“Senegal is a country with a strong Islamic majority,” Bishop Mamba says in the Wednesday, October 12 Agenzia Fides report.

He adds, “We strive to promote the spirit of dialogue in daily life, which we share with our brothers of the Islamic faith. It is not uncommon to see families in which different faiths coexist; members who adhere to the traditional faith alongside Muslims and Christians. In this context, we not only share daily life, but also celebrate holidays together and mourn together.”

The Senegalese Catholic Bishop told Agenzia Fides that Muslim leaders work with the state to maintain cohesion between the various Islamic brotherhoods and “prevent them from being influenced by extreme tendencies outside Senegal that could lead to divisions or violence.”

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This commitment is all the more urgent in the country that borders Mali where, Bishop Mamba says, several jihadist groups are active. He says, “We are all careful that our population is not contaminated by this jihadist and violent spirit.”

Prior to his appointment as Bishop of Tambacounda, Bishop Mamba served for 10 years as Bishop of Ziguinchor, the capital of the troubled region of Casamance, where a conflict led by the separatist Movement of the Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) has been raging since 1982.

In the Agenzia Fides report, the 61-year-old Catholic Bishop notes that with regard to the conflict in Casamance, efforts are being made to find a solution to lasting peace.

“Three months ago, the Senegalese state and the separatists signed a peace agreement,” he says, and adds, “We are confident that these agreements will be maintained, even if they do not create unanimity within the separatist movement. In my 10 years as Bishop of Ziguinchor I have been very committed to peace between the State and the Movement and I believe that peace is now possible.”

The economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the war in Ukraine, has caused prices for basic goods to soar in Senegal, the Bishop laments, adding, “The state offers grants to lower prices, but unfortunately they are not always enough to fully meet the needs of the population.”

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Agnes Aineah

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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