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Violence in Senegal Follows President's Side-Step of '2 Term Rule'

As Senegal approaches its presidential elections, recent violence during election-motivated protests in the country's capital, Dakar, have raised some concerns from the United Nations General Secretary and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

U.N. General Secretary, Ban Ki-moon, released a Jan. 31 statement about the west African nation expressing his concern about "the upsurge of tensions ahead of the Feb. 26 elections."

Ki-moon urged for "all political parties and national stakeholders refrain from violence, resolve any electoral grievances and called upon all concerned actors to create enabling conditions for transparent, credible and peaceful elections that reflect the legitimate concerns and aspirations of the people of Senegal."

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The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay also expressed her concern about the possible use of excessive force by the authorities during the protest, in the Senegalese capital Dakar.

Senegal has been called Africa's most stable democracy, so it is no surprise that these protests and deaths over the electoral process would draw concern from the international community.

"Senegal has a good record of peaceful democratic elections and transitions which could easily be jeopardized if the current extremely tense situation spirals into further acts of violence and retribution," the High Commissioner said.

The protests that have already claimed the lives of 4 people, including one police officer, come in the wake of the release of the list of presidential candidates approved by the Constitutional Council that allows incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade to run for a third term.

Senegal's opposition leader, Yossou N'Dour and the anti-Wade June 23 Movement are protesting the constitutionality of President Wade being able to run for a third term. Incidentally it was during Wade's term in office that the constitution was amended in 2001 that limits a president to only 2 terms.

President Wade has in response mocked the protests calling it a "breeze" that will never become a "hurricane." Wade argues that his bid is constitutional because the cap was only introduced in 2008, after his latest re-election; so he has two terms from that time.

Reports also show that Wade's support from the West is beginning to dwindle, notably from America.

"We respect Senegal's political and legal processes, so we are not going to get ahead of the Senegalese constitutional court in making a determination here. However, we do continue to believe that his decision to try to run for a third term as president does have the potential to jeopardize a lot of the achievements that he himself has made, including ushering in new constitution with a two-term limit for presidents. So he's had two terms, he supported a constitution with two terms, and we want to see him be a leader in paving the way for a new generation of African leaders and solidifying his own stature as a democrat in this way," spokesperson for U.S. Government Victoria Nuland has announced.

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