Senegal: Treatment of Muslims who are teaching concepts and ideas outside of Islam and are perceived as practising the Christian faith; treatment of a Senegalese who marries a woman from Côte d'Ivoire

Reports on the treatment of Muslims in Senegal who are teaching concepts and ideas outside of Islam, and to be perceived as practising the Christian religion, as well as on the treatment of Senegalese who marry women from Côte d'Ivoire, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, the following information may be useful.

Senegal is a secular state, and its Constitution "provides for the free practice of religious beliefs, provided that public order is maintained" (International Religious Freedom Report 2002 7 Oct. 2002, Sec. II). The population is predominantly Muslim, 90 to 95 per cent (Syfia International 1 Aug. 2001; Senegalaisement 8 Oct. 2002). Nonetheless,

the constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right in practice. ... Foreign missionary groups operate in the country, including Catholics, Protestants, independent missionaries and Jehovah's witnesses. ...The Government encourages and assists Muslim participation in the Hajj every year. It also provides similar assistance for an annual Catholic pilgrimage to the Vatican (International Religious Freedom Report 2002 7 Oct. 2002, Sec. 1, II).

A large part of Serere Country, the Thiès, Fatick and Kaolack regions, is Catholic (Senegalaisement 8 Oct.2002). Apart from [translation] "fundamentalist and fanatical agitations" (ibid), the relationship among the various religious communities is harmonious, and intermarriages are common (ibid.; Syfia International, 1 Aug. 2001;, International Religious Freedom Report 2002 7 Oct. 2002, Section III).

In Autumn 2002, however, the Journal of Church and State, reported an incident of violence between Muslims and Christians in Dakar during which,

a local Muslim politician led a mob in attacking and occupying a Christian church in Dakar. The founders of the recently opened church had met with officials hoping to avoid trouble, but their approaches were not welcome. There have been several attacks on churches over recent years, and two years ago the country's president proclaimed that Senegal will be 100 percent Muslim in three years.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Annual Report on International Religious Freedom Report 2002. 7 October 2002. United States Department of State. Washington, DC.[Accessed 13 Mar. 2003]

Journal of Church and State. Vol. 44. No. 4. Autumn 2002. "Senegal." [Accessed 13 Mar. 2003]

Sénégalesement. 8 October 2002. "La religion." [Accessed 13 Mar. 2003]

Syfia International.1 August 2001. Dembélé Malado and Madieng Seck. "Sénégal : chrétiens et musulmans rebâtissent une église." [Accessed 13 Mar. 2003]

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential

Africa Research Bulletin

Amnesty International

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

IRB Databases

Keesing's Record of World Events

New African

NEXIS

Resource Centre. Country File. Senegal

Internet sites, including,

Africa News.com

Human Rights Watch

IFEX

MISA

Relief Web

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