Mimi Touré
Former Prime Minister Aminata Touré took part in the commemoration of June 23, 2011. According to her, "this date does not symbolize a rupture, but a continuity in the tradition of political resistance in Senegal." In her eyes, "it extends the historic struggles waged by opposition parties, citizen movements, and civil society to defend democracy and counter authoritarian excesses." "The soldiers of democracy are always on alert," she asserted, adding that "the Senegalese people have learned to stand up to arbitrariness."
Beyond vigilance, she insists on "the demand for justice for the young people killed during political demonstrations." She called for the duty of remembrance and justice for the victims of political repression to be placed at the heart of the Senegalese democratic pact. "Without this," she said, "democracy will neither heal its wounds nor move forward sustainably." These martyrs, who fell under bullets during the major mobilizations against the government, embody, in her view, a sacrifice for which the State must be held accountable. "For them alone, the interpretative law of the amnesty law should have gone through the Constitutional Council," she declared. She insists "on the need not to erase bloody crimes under the guise of political reconciliation." In her view, "impunity cannot be the foundation of a sustainable democracy." Thus, she welcomed "the Constitutional Council's decision to exclude these crimes from the amnesty law," seeing it as a strong signal in favor of justice and collective memory. "These young people are dead, and their parents are still waiting for justice," she insists, calling for rigorous, transparent, and dignified judicial treatment. She points out that the country came close to collapse, and that without the truth about these events, trust between citizens and institutions will remain fragile.
Furthermore, Aminata Touré criticizes the abuses observed under Macky Sall's regime, which she believes are similar to those denounced in 2011: "the temptation of a third term, the imprisonment of opponents, and the manipulation of institutions." She expresses her disappointment, believing that Macky Sall has betrayed the democratic hope born from the 2012 changeover.
To consolidate democracy, Mimi Touré advocates for enhanced civic education, governance by example, a reduction in social inequalities, and regular evaluation of public policies by the National Assembly. She also emphasizes the essential role of the media, which must combine freedom, rigor, and responsibility. "A press can be partisan, but it must respect the facts and elevate the debate," she asserts.
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