38-559: Kagnout (also called Cagnout or Cagnut ) is a village in Casamance , Senegal . It is located near the left bank of the estuary of the Casamance River . It is part of the rural community of Mlomp , in the district of Loudia Ouoloff , the department of Oussouye and the region of Ziguinchor. Administratively, it is made up of three official villages: Cagnoute Bouhibane, Cagnoute Ebrouaye and Cagnoute Houyoho. On March 25, 1851,
76-617: A government of national unity and hold elections by the end of March 1999. In January 1999, Fadul announced that presidential and legislative elections would not take place in March as envisaged in the Abuja accord, and would be delayed until the end of the year. Also in January agreement was reached between the government, rebels and ECOWAS on the strength of the ECOMOG interposition force, which
114-591: A ceasefire. On 26 July, following mediation by a delegation from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), the government and the rebels agreed to implement a truce enforced by the Portuguese, still occupying Bissau and other major urban centers. On 25 August, representatives of the government and the rebels met under the auspices of the CPLP and ECOWAS on Sal Island , Cape Verde , where an agreement
152-668: A distinct identity, particularly in Baixa Casamança. Bissau-Guineans are also present in the region, as expatriates, immigrants, and refugees from the poverty and instability that since long affects the neighbouring country, including the 1998–1999 Guinea-Bissau Civil War . Though the Jola are the dominant ethnic group in the Casamance, they represent only 4% of the total population of Senegal. The Jola's sense of economic disenfranchisement within greater Senegal contributed to
190-651: A meeting of ECOWAS foreign ministers held in Togo in May 1999, Vieira's overthrow was condemned and demands were made for him to be permitted to leave Guinea-Bissau. It was also decided that ECOMOG forces would be withdrawn from the country. The last ECOMOG troops left in early June. That month Vieira was permitted to leave Guinea-Bissau to seek medical treatment in France. Sanhá cited humanitarian reasons for allowing Vieira's departure, but stressed that he would return to stand trial. In
228-659: A meeting of the ruling bodies of the PAIGC that month, Manuel Saturnino da Costa was appointed to replace Vieira as party leader. At a tripartite meeting conducted in late May by representatives of the government, the military junta and the political parties, agreement was reached that Vieira should stand trial for his involvement in arms trafficking to the Casamance separatists and for political and economic crimes relating to his terms in office. Vieira subsequently agreed to stand trial, but only after receiving medical treatment abroad, after which he pledged to return to Guinea-Bissau. At
266-492: A trading station in the area. They also formed trade relations with local Jola chiefs and the king of Kasa. The Casamance was subject to both French and Portuguese colonial efforts before a border was negotiated in 1888 between the French colony of Senegal and Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau ) to the south. Portugal lost possession of Casamance, then the commercial hub of its colony. Casamance, to this day, has preserved
304-429: Is like the rest of Senegal: rainless from November to May, but during the rainy season from June to October, most areas receive over 50 inches or 1,270 millimetres, and the furthest southwest as much as 70 inches or 1,780 millimetres. The economy of the Casamance relies largely on rice cultivation and tourism . It also has excellent beaches along its coastline, particularly at Cap Skirring . Tree cover in Casamance
342-481: Is severely threatened by illegal logging . 13°00′55″N 15°19′03″W / 13.0152°N 15.3176°W / 13.0152; -15.3176 Guinea-Bissau Civil War The Guinea-Bissau Civil War was fought from 7 June 1998 to 10 May 1999 and was triggered by an attempted coup d'état against the government of President João Bernardo Vieira led by Brigadier-General Ansumane Mané . Government forces, backed by neighbouring states, clashed with
380-523: The armed forces in two towns on the northern border of Guinea-Bissau. The armed forces deployed reinforcements along the border with Casamance to prevent the separatists from entering the country. In late January, following the seizure in Guinea-Bissau of a cache of weapons, a number of officers of the armed forces were arrested on charges of supplying arms to the Casamance separatists. On 30 January 1998, Guinea-Bissau's defense minister announced
418-633: The Catholic Mission of Dakar, Aloyse Kobès provides the following definition: "Kasamansa (Casamance), derived from 'casa' (Portuguese), meaning house, dwelling, and ߡߊ߲߬ߛߊ 'mansa' ( Mandingo ), meaning king, chief." Casamance is mainly inhabited by the Jola and Bainuk . Significant minority populations include the Balanta , Mande and Fulani . Casamance is religiously diverse, with the inhabitants practicing Islam, Christianity, and traditional African religions. According to local legends,
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#1732776838921456-588: The Jola and Bainuk people are said to have inhabited Casamance for over a thousand years. Jola leaders ruled portions of Casamance, frequently under the nominal rule of Wolof and Serer kingdoms to the north. From the 15th to 18th century, the Bainuk Kasa kingdom located in the Lower Casamance was the dominant state in the south. In the 15th century, Portuguese slave traders and navigators established
494-530: The Lower Casamance ( Basse Casamance , Baixa Casamança —i.e. Ziguinchor Region ) and the Upper Casamance ( Haute Casamance , Alta Casamança —i.e. Kolda and Sédhiou Regions ). The largest city of Casamance is Ziguinchor . Because this southern region of Senegal boasts a coastline that was early visited by Portuguese navigators, there has long been speculation about a Lusophone influence in its name. In his Wolof-French Dictionary published in 1923 by
532-467: The aegis of ECOWAS in Abuja, Nigeria , resulted in the signing of a peace accord on 1 November. Under the accord's terms, the two sides reaffirmed the cease-fire of 25 August and resolved that the withdrawal of Senegalese and Guinean troops from Guinea-Bissau be conducted simultaneously with the deployment of an ECOMOG (ECOWAS Cease-fire Monitoring Group) interposition force, which would guarantee security on
570-484: The armed forces, it revealed that President Vieira's presidential guard had been heavily implicated in arms trafficking. The United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau was subsequently established to monitor the general elections and the implementation of the Abuja Agreement. In early May 1999, Vieira announced that legislative and presidential elections would take place on 28 December, but he
608-412: The border with Senegal. It was also agreed that a Government of National Unity would be established to include rebel representatives and that presidential and legislative elections would be held no later than March 1999. In early November 1998, an agreement was reached on the composition of a joint executive commission to implement the peace accord. Later that month the commission approved the structure of
646-500: The capital by ship to Senegal. An estimated further 200,000 residents of Bissau fled the city, prompting fears of a humanitarian disaster, with the hostilities preventing aid organizations from distributing emergency food and medical supplies to the refugees. Fighting continued into July, with many members of the Guinea-Bissau armed forces reportedly defecting to the side of the rebels. Portuguese marines were dispatched to occupy Bissau to both rescue Portuguese citizens and attempt to force
684-410: The country as a precondition to a definitive peace agreement, which was rejected by the government. The rebels, in turn, rejected a proposal for the establishment by Senegal of a buffer zone within Guinea-Bissau territory along the border with Casamance. In October the rebels agreed to a government proposal for the creation of a demilitarized zone separating the opposing forces in the capital. Before
722-451: The country. On 23 October, Brigadier-General Mané agreed to observe a 48-hour truce to allow Vieira time to clarify his proposals for a negotiated peace settlement and agreement was subsequently reached for direct talks to be held in Banjul , The Gambia . At the talks, which took place on 29 October, the rebels confirmed that they would not seek Vieira's resignation. Further talks held under
760-476: The coup leaders who had quickly gained almost total control over the country's armed forces. The conflict resulted in the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of people and the displacement of hundreds of thousands. An eventual peace agreement in November 1998 provided for a national unity government and new elections in the next year. However, a subsequent and brief outbreak of fighting in May 1999 ended with
798-552: The deposing of Vieira on 10 May 1999 when Vieira signed an unconditional surrender. Guinea-Bissau gained independence from Portugal in 1974 after an eleven-and-a-half-year-long war of independence . In January 1998, ten fighters from the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MDFC), an insurgent separatist group from the Senegalese region of Casamance , were killed and another forty were arrested following clashes with
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#1732776838921836-566: The founding of a separatist movement advocating the independence or autonomous administrative division of the Casamance, the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), in 1982. The MFDC's armed wing was established in 1985, and in 1990 the Casamance conflict began: a low-level insurgency led by the MFDC against the government of Senegal. The conflict has been characterized by sporadic violence and frequent but unstable ceasefire agreements. An illegal shipment of weapons hailing from Iran
874-491: The immediate withdrawal of Senegalese and Guinean troops. At a meeting held in Lomé, Togo on 17 February, João Bernardo Vieira and Ansumane Mané pledged never again to resort to armed conflict. On 20 February the new Government of National Unity was announced. The disarmament of rebel troops and those loyal to the president, as provided for under the Abuja accord, began in early March. The withdrawal of Senegalese and Guinean troops
912-487: The international airport. Mané subsequently demanded the resignation of Vieira and his administration and the conduct of free and democratic elections in July. With the support of 1,300 Senegalese and 400 Guinean soldiers, troops loyal to the government attempted unsuccessfully to regain control of rebel held areas of the city and heavy fighting ensued. In the following days more than 3,000 foreign nationals were evacuated from
950-514: The leaders of Kagnout permanently ceded the island of Carabane to France . The village is part of the rural community of Mlomp in Oussouye , Ziguinchor . The nearest towns are Carabane , Hitou , Kabounkoute , Niomoune , Loudia Diola , Mlomp , and Samatit . Casamance Casamance is the area of Senegal south of the Gambia , including the Casamance River . It consists of
988-500: The local variant of Upper Guinea Creole known as Casamance Creole , and the members of the deep-rooted Creole community carry Portuguese surnames like Da Silva, Carvalho and Fonseca. The historical ties to Portugal were a factor in Senegal's decision to seek membership of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), becoming an associate observer in 2008. Interest in Portuguese heritage has been revived in order to exert
1026-532: The new government, which was to comprise ten ministers and seven secretaries of state. On 3 December, Francisco Fadul was appointed Prime Minister and later that month Vieira and Mané reached agreement on the allocation of portfolios to the two sides. The first contingent of 100 ECOMOG troops arrived in late December. At the same time, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1216 which called for both parties to form
1064-552: The opposition Social Renewal Party (PRS) winning 38 of 102 seats making it the largest party represented in the National People's Assembly. The long ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) won 24 seats. The PRS presidential candidate, Kumba Ialá , placed first winning 38.81% of the vote. In a run-off held on 16 January 2000, Ialá easily defeated acting President Malam Bacai Sanhá of
1102-541: The presidential palace and forced its surrender. Vieira subsequently took refuge at the Portuguese embassy, where on 10 May 1999 he signed an unconditional surrender. The President of the National People's Assembly , Malam Bacai Sanhá , was appointed acting president of the republic until elections were held. The Government of National Unity, including the ministers appointed by Vieira, remained in office. At
1140-405: The proposal could be formally endorsed, the cease-fire collapsed as fighting erupted in the capital and several other towns. On 20 October, the government imposed a nationwide curfew, and on the following day President Vieira declared a unilateral cease-fire. By that time almost all of the government troops had defected to the side of rebel forces, which were believed to control approximately 99% of
1178-479: The same month Sanhá asserted that presidential and legislative elections would take place by 28 November. In July, constitutional amendments were introduced that limited the tenure of presidential office to two terms and abolished the death penalty . It was also stipulated that the country's principal offices of state could only be held by Guinea-Bissau nationals born of Guinea-Bissau parents. On 28 November 1999, presidential and legislative elections were held with
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1216-466: The suspension of the Chief of Staff of the armed forces, Brigadier-General Ansumane Mané on the grounds of dereliction of duty as the weapons impounded in the previous month had been taken from a military depot of the Guinea-Bissau armed forces. In March 1998, following protest by opposition parties at delays in the organization of legislative elections , an independent national elections commission
1254-468: Was completed that month following an extension of the deadline from 28 February to 16 March, owing to logistical problems. In April, a report was released by the National People's Assembly, which exonerated Mané on charges of trafficking arms to the Casamance rebels. Although the report, which had been due for release in June 1998 when hostilities began, called for the reinstatement of Mané as Chief of Staff of
1292-700: Was established. The elections were due to be held in July. In April, Mané publicly accused the Minister of Defense and a group of officers in the armed forces of involvement in arms trafficking to the Casamance separatists. At the sixth PAIGC congress held May 1998, President João Bernardo Vieira was re-elected president of the party. Vieira dismissed the suspended Mané and appointed General Humberto Gomes to replace him on 6 June 1998. On 7 June, rebelling troops led by Ansumane Mané seized control of military barracks in Bissau as well as other strategic locations including
1330-506: Was overthrown by the rebel military junta on 7 May, to widespread condemnation by the international community. Fighting had erupted in Bissau on the previous day when rebel troops seized stockpiles of weapons that had been held at the international airport since the disarmament of the rival forces in March. The rebels, who claimed that their actions had been prompted by Vieira's refusal to allow his presidential guard to be disarmed, surrounded
1368-455: Was reached to transform the existing truce into a cease-fire . The accord provided for the reopening of the international airport and for the deployment of international forces to maintain and supervise the cease-fire. In September 1998, talks between the government and the rebels resumed in Abidjan , Côte d'Ivoire . The rebels demanded that all Senegalese and Guinean forces be withdrawn from
1406-591: Was seized in Lagos , Nigeria in October 2010, and the Senegalese government suspected the MFDC of having been the intended recipient of the weapons. Senegal recalled its ambassador to Tehran over the incident. The region is low-lying and hot, with some hills to the southeast. The entire Casamance region experiences a tropical savanna climate , with average rainfall greater than the rest of Senegal. The region
1444-404: Was to comprise some 710 troops. Agreement was also reached on a timetable for the withdrawal of Senegalese and Guinean troops from Guinea-Bissau. At the end of January 1999, hostilities resumed in the capital resulting in numerous fatalities and the displacement of some 250,000 residents. On 9 February, talks between the government and the rebels produced agreement on a cease-fire that provided for
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