A disputed biofuels project in northern Senegal
has triggered violent clashes between villagers, leaving two people
dead and two seriously wounded, police said on October 27.
Speaking on condition of
anonymity, a police officer said residents of Fanaye village “fought
with sticks and machetes” in disagreement over the project.
Fanaye is situated in the Senegal
River valley, near the Mauritanian border, one of the country's main
areas of agricultural production.
Local media explained that some
villagers were angry that thousands of hectares of land had been given
to an Italian to cultivate sweet potatoes for the production of biofuels, sparking fears over the
loss of grazing land and displacement of villages.
A local organisation defending land rights in the village said the
project would lead to "displacement of villages, destruction of cattle
and desecration of cemeteries and mosques."
Senegal has in recent years pushed
the idea of using its land for biofuel production, with the backing of
Brazil and fervent support of President Abdoulaye Wade.
Wade said he "deeply regrets" the deaths and wants an explanation. A cabinet statement said Wade had asked the ministers of agriculture, environment and decentralisation for "a detailed statement on this situation."
AFP
