International Trade Union Confederation wants AU, ECOWAS to intervene in Senegalese political crisis - The African section of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), with headquarters in Lomé, Togo, has asked the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to intervene in the Senegalese political crisis to 'prevent the situation from deteriorating further'.

'The ITUC-Africa urges the AU and ECOWAS to intervene and restore peace to prevent foreign intervention under any pretext whatsoever,' according to a letter sent to both organizations and received here by PANA.

'Senegal has been an important example of political stability and democracy and it is essential that we convince the opposing political forces to resort to dialogue to resolve the political dispute as the country prepares to organize presidential elections within two weeks. It is also important for peace after the announcement of the poll results,'  ITUC-Africa wrote.

ITUC-Africa said it was worried after reading reports of violence in Dakar and other cities in Senegal following the Constitutional Council's decision to validate the candidacy of President Abdoulaye Wade ahead of the 26 February polls.

Senegalese opposition and civil society, insisting that Wade's validation was unconstitutional, have been involved in the street protests that have left at least five persons dead.

First elected president in 2000, Wade was re-elected in 2007 when he reduced the seven-year term for the presidency to five years. Senegalese constitution allows the president to rule for only two terms.

Pana 09/02/2012