the story

I am currently still in Tambacounda waiting for the approval to go back to Kedougou. I just want to repeat there was and is no danger for us (Peace Corps Volunteers) so I hope they'll let us return tmw or mon.

The basics: three people died, many were injured and most all of the government buildings were either ransacked/burnt/ or looted but I was never in any danger and nothing has happened since tuesday when all the events took place.

It's a really long and complicated story but basically the youth are tired of seeing nothing from all of the natural resources (gold and other minerals, iron, marble) being extracted in the area going back to Kedougou (I think they are justified in being angry about this) but the protest did get out of hand. It started out as a bunch of youth (they did burn tires) but then apparently lots of people came which made more gendarme and military come to the protests with LIVE BULLETS, SHOTING AT THE PEOPLE! So basically everything else that happend was revenge.

Anyway I'm in Tamba not by choice I want to go back (I bought 4 ducks cause I was going to have christmas with my host fam). I tried finding a good article in English and found this. Also, the problem here is that there are so many stories coming out (many untrue) that it's hard to find out exactly what happened if you're on the outside.

ok that's it for now!