Senegal tries to clear streets of beggars, hawkers

The Associated Press
Saturday, November 17, 2007

DAKAR, Senegal: Under presidential orders, Senegalese security forces have begun clearing the capital's clogged intersections of beggars, hawkers and walking salesmen.

The thousands of beggars and illegal vendors blocking traffic is "unacceptable," President Abdoulaye Wade said during an investment conference held in Dakar earlier in the week.

Wade argues that the country is losing millions of dollars every year because potential investors visiting Dakar are frightened by aggressive beggars and men hawking perfume knockoffs and phone cards to put more calling credit on mobiles.

"We cannot allow our city to turn into a place of squalor," Wade said.

Security forces descended on two of the capital's most congested markets — Marche Sandaga and Avenue Ponty. Soldiers, who arrived in trucks, and policemen on foot began the clearing operation after midnight Thursday.

Two days later on Saturday, only the roundabout leading into the two market streets appeared to be less congested than normal, but the walking salesmen and beggars, including barefoot children and handicapped adults in wheelchairs, had returned to the side streets.

Amadou Dieng, a beggar, had taken refuge on a small street not far from one of the markets that was being cleared.

"This sweep will do nothing other than increase our poverty. Where do they expect us to go if they are forbidding us to be in the streets?" asked Dieng.

The operation has thrown a spotlight on Senegal's global ambitions, which are at odds with the poverty of its population; more than half of working age adults are unemployed.

Dakar has been chosen to host a summit of Islamic countries next year, for which numerous high-rise buildings, five-star hotels and luxury bungalows are being built.

In an attempt to clean up its image, Senegal created a new ministry last year charged with public hygiene. Its mandate includes the fight against congestion.

Local aid groups estimate that there are between 50,000 and 100,000 unlicensed vendors and beggars in the capital, although no formal tally exists.

Many of the beggars are children who are sent out to seek money by their Islamic teachers. They are typically required to bring back around the equivalent of US$0.50 cents a day, or face a beating.