Senegal: Casamance dangerous
 

We like travelling by our own, but we've read some reports about clashes in the Southern Casamance region, recommending to fly to Ziguinchor. Is it really so dangerous? If we travel by ourselves (without organized tours) would it be more or less dangerous?

don´t know if this is a final answer, but I know that there are some conflicts in the border of Senegal and Guiné-Bissau , in the casamance region. <BR>I suppose that you know the story, that envolves the separatists of casamance, and the support that they had from locals of guiné-bissau ( allowing them to escape into their country ). <BR>Back in 1998, there was a civil war in Guiné, and refugges that didn´t get to the coast, went to casamance. <BR>After that war, some "local" problems - along the problems of separatists - emerged, such as robbery of catle, and border disputes. <BR>It is told now, that an agreement was achived by Guiné and Senegal, so the situation tend to "calm down", but still the separatists are active and , as always , this political balances may be unpredictable.

Thanks for the info. Do these clashes affect tourists? I heard of a tourist bus stopped -by rebels, I think-, being the guide and the driver shot dead in February. Do you know if things go like this any more?

well, I don´t know if this situations still are happening nowadays, but if I were you, I would think very well, and speacially, Í ´dd plan all the moves in advance very well. <BR>I don´t know ( I´m sorry for the expression ) what kind of tourist you are, but if a club med may be on your mind, I once saw a tv program, where there was a organized trip, that started in a club med in senegal to casamance region. <BR>Maybe you should make some research there. <BR>Another interesting thing, I think is to read newspapers from that region to keep up-to-date with "political" agenda, and "possible evolution" - ( I can give some addresses if you need ) -

( cont. ) <BR> <BR>try this one : http://www.earth2000.com/

HI,<BR>An experiential program that has been taking 5 people to Senegal every year since 1993 has avoided the Eastern Casamance for the last four years but tries to go to the Western Casamance area. The program is for people who really want to get to know the culture. I have more info if this might be of interest.