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Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance

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Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance
Mouvement des forces démocratiques de Casamance
LeadersAugustin Diamacoune Senghor
(1982–07)
Salif Sadio
(2007–14)
Caesar Badiatte
(1982–14)
Mamadou Niantang Diatta
(1982–14)
Dates of operation1982–present
Active regionsCasamance, Guinea-Bissau, the Gambia
Ideology
Battles and warsCasamance conflict
Guinea-Bissau Civil War
ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia
Photo of MFDC fighters

The Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (French: Mouvement des forces démocratiques de Casamance; MFDC) is the main separatist movement in the Casamance region of Senegal, founded in 1982. It was supported by Guinea-Bissau President João Bernardo Vieira until he was overthrown in 1999. It relies mainly on the Jola people. Its armed wing was formed in 1985 and is called Atika (Diola for "the combatant").

Its leader was Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor, who died on 13 January 2007. Senghor signed a peace agreement with the government of Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade in 2004. However, several factions of the MFDC refused to participate in the peace deal and continued their fighting. This division has deeply divided Casamance's independence movement.

Involvement in the Gambian constitutional crisis

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Main article: ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia

The movement was rumored to have involved itself militarily in the 2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis and the subsequent ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia on Yahya Jammeh's side.[2][3]

Flag

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Since 2013 photos indicate that the MDFC - or, at least one of its armed branches - uses a new flag, designed with a different geometrical arrangement of the elements of the flag adopted in 1983. The flag is horizontally divided green-yellow with a red triangle placed along the hoist, charged with a white star tilted to the upper hoist.[4][5][6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Minahan (2002), p. 396.
  2. ^ Kwanue, C. Y. (18 January 2017). "Gambia: Jammeh 'Imports Rebels'" – via AllAfrica.
  3. ^ Ewubare, Kess (19 January 2017). "BREAKING: Gambian Navy desert Jammeh, declare allegiance to Barrow".
  4. ^ "Democratic Forces Movement of Casamance (Senegal)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Casamance: Le Bureau National du MFDC appelle au rassemblement et à l'unité dans une déclaration". Archived from the original on 6 April 2024.
  6. ^ "EN CASAMANCE (au Sénégal) : Les rebelles du MFDC tuent avec les armes iraniennes - Evariste D. KONE". Archived from the original on 6 October 2022.

Bibliography

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  • Minahan, James (2002). Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World. Greenwood Publishing Group.
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