The protest movement that defeated the liberal sphinx in 2012, Y en a marre, is back in action. Thiate, Aliou Sané, Fou Malade, and Co. donned their overalls again during a press conference on Tuesday, March 18, devoted to the proposed interpretative law of the amnesty law introduced by Pastef in place of the promised outright repeal.

Angered by the change of language of the presidential movement, which seems to want to maintain this law to cover its activists with impunity, the members of Y en a marre are promising a June 23rd repeat, if Pastef does not back down.

"We must stop this farce, which is neither a matter of Jubbal nor Jubbanti," Thiate insisted. According to him, "this Pastef proposal is worse than Wade's blocking vote that led to June 23."

"We will rise up against this law and call on the active forces to do the same. We are holding the deputies, both government and opposition, accountable," says the rapper, who forms the duo Keur Gui with Kilifeu (appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Grand Théâtre National Doudou Ndiaye Rose).

Aliou Sané's comrades, who do not understand this sudden change, reminded Ousmane Sonko and his supporters of their position before he came to power. "The current Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko," confided Abdou Khafor Kandji, upon his release from prison, "had declared at a press conference that he was not requesting this amnesty law. Pastef MPs had voted against this law because it, as it was worded, took into account violent crimes."

"Interpreting a law that you voted against is inconsistent."

During the legislative election campaign, too, recalls the spokesperson of the day, "Pastef had promised to purely and simply repeal the amnesty law once the majority was acquired." Better still, he continues, "during his DPG (general policy statement), Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko had declared that his government would refer a bill to the National Assembly to repeal the amnesty law."

In view of the above, Y en a marre points out, "interpreting a law that we voted against is inconsistent."

Moreover, the movement is convinced that this law does not suffer from any ambiguity that would require any interpretation.

Therefore, asks Abdou Khafor Kandji, "why grant immunity to actors who are currently unknown because, according to Pastef, they have committed political acts?"

The amnesty law must be repealed for three reasons

Y en a marre (Y'en a marre) says it protests against the proposed interpretative law on three points. "First, these protests go far beyond Pastef and any other political party. These are Senegalese citizens who have been killed, tortured, and sent to prison," Y en a marre points out.

Second, Mr. Kandji adds, "justice must be done in this case. Therefore, there is no question of limiting the scope of justice. Pastef wants to tell the justice system that it should not look in this direction."

Finally, the third reason why the amnesty law must be repealed, according to Y en a marre, is because it is a "presidential promise." "President Diomaye promised us that once in power this law would be repealed. He promised us that he would be above the fray. Being above the fray is not limited to resigning from his post as secretary general, but it also implies making a decision when necessary, even if it is against his party," he recalls.

As a reminder, the interpretative bill introduced by Pastef MP Amadou Ba will be examined in plenary session on April 2.