Abdou Latif Guèye
Encyclopedia
Abdou Latif Guèye was a Senegal
ese politician. He was Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Rally (RDS), as well as the head of Jamra
, a non-governmental organization
. He was the Sixth Vice-President of the National Assembly of Senegal
from 2007 to 2008.
Guèye was born in Dakar
. In his youth he was active in politics, participating in clandestine Marxist-Leninist groups; he was arrested for "subversive activities" when he was 17. He joined Cheikh Anta Diop
's National Democratic Rally
when it was founded in 1976. He ended his political activities in 1982 to devote himself to civil society
and journalism. In 1983, he founded Jamra, a monthly magazine that was the "first Senegalese review on social issues", and in 1984 he became editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper Walfadjri.
For more than 20 years, he was the Executive President of Jamra, an Islamic NGO devoted to fighting "social evils", particularly drugs and sexually transmitted disease
s. He founded the first Center for Documentation and Information on Drug Abuse and AIDS in 1987.
Guèye and Jamra entered politics on the side of the opposition in 1999, supporting Abdoulaye Wade
's successful candidacy in the 2000 presidential election
. He was named as the leader of a political party, the Senegalese Democratic Rally (RDS), on May 9, 2000, and in the same month President Wade appointed him as Special Advisor to the President of the Republic, with the rank of Ambassador. Accused of trafficking antiretroviral medicine, he was dismissed from his post as Special Advisor in October 2002. He was imprisoned from June 2003 to August 2004, at which point he was rehabilitated by the justice system.
The RDS joined the CAP 21 coalition of parties supporting President Wade in December 2006, and Guèye was elected to the National Assembly in the June 2007 parliamentary election
through national list proportional representation as a candidate of the pro-Wade Sopi Coalition
. In the National Assembly, he was elected as its Sixth Vice-President.
In early 2008, shortly before his death, Guèye sent a letter of protest to the Dutch
embassy regarding Fitna
, a Dutch film considered hostile to Islam. He was killed in a traffic accident on National Road No. 1 while travelling to Tambacounda
, in the east of Senegal, on the night of April 5–6 2008.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese politician. He was Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Rally (RDS), as well as the head of Jamra
Jamra
The Jamra are a Rajput tribe found in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan.-History and origin:The Jamra or Jamro, as they are known in Sindh, are a clan of the Samma Rajputs...
, a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
. He was the Sixth Vice-President of the National Assembly of Senegal
National Assembly of Senegal
The National Assembly of Senegal is the lower house of Senegal's parliament.-The current National Assembly:The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 29 April 2001, has a total of 150 elected members who serve five-year terms. The electoral system is a mixed member...
from 2007 to 2008.
Guèye was born in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
. In his youth he was active in politics, participating in clandestine Marxist-Leninist groups; he was arrested for "subversive activities" when he was 17. He joined Cheikh Anta Diop
Cheikh Anta Diop
Cheikh Anta Diop was a historian, anthropologist, physicist, and politician who studied the human race's origins and pre-colonial African culture. He is regarded as an important figure in the development of the Afrocentric viewpoint, in particular for his theory that the ancient Egyptians were...
's National Democratic Rally
National Democratic Rally (Senegal)
The National Democratic Rally is a political party in Senegal. It is the party of the late Cheikh Anta Diop....
when it was founded in 1976. He ended his political activities in 1982 to devote himself to civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
and journalism. In 1983, he founded Jamra, a monthly magazine that was the "first Senegalese review on social issues", and in 1984 he became editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper Walfadjri.
For more than 20 years, he was the Executive President of Jamra, an Islamic NGO devoted to fighting "social evils", particularly drugs and sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
s. He founded the first Center for Documentation and Information on Drug Abuse and AIDS in 1987.
Guèye and Jamra entered politics on the side of the opposition in 1999, supporting Abdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade is the third and current President of Senegal, in office since 2000. He is also the Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Party and has led the party since it was founded in 1974...
's successful candidacy in the 2000 presidential election
Senegalese presidential election, 2000
Presidential elections were held in Senegal on 27 February 2000, with a second round taking place on 19 March after no candidate won over 50% of votes in the first round...
. He was named as the leader of a political party, the Senegalese Democratic Rally (RDS), on May 9, 2000, and in the same month President Wade appointed him as Special Advisor to the President of the Republic, with the rank of Ambassador. Accused of trafficking antiretroviral medicine, he was dismissed from his post as Special Advisor in October 2002. He was imprisoned from June 2003 to August 2004, at which point he was rehabilitated by the justice system.
The RDS joined the CAP 21 coalition of parties supporting President Wade in December 2006, and Guèye was elected to the National Assembly in the June 2007 parliamentary election
Senegalese parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections were held in Senegal on 3 June 2007. They had originally been planned to be held together with the presidential election on 25 February 2007, but were postponed. 14 parties or coalitions participated in the election, in which the composition of the National Assembly, with...
through national list proportional representation as a candidate of the pro-Wade Sopi Coalition
Sopi Coalition
The Sopi Coalition is the governing political alliance in Senegal. The alliance is composed of the Senegalese Democratic Party and smaller parties, and it supports President Abdoulaye Wade, who is also the Secretary-General of the PDS.In the April 2001 parliamentary election, the Sopi Coalition...
. In the National Assembly, he was elected as its Sixth Vice-President.
In early 2008, shortly before his death, Guèye sent a letter of protest to the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
embassy regarding Fitna
Fitna (film)
Fitna is a 2008 short political, propaganda film by Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders with his view on the religion of the Islam. Approximately 17 minutes in length, the movie shows selected excerpts from Suras of the Qur'an, interspersed with media clips and newspaper cuttings showing or...
, a Dutch film considered hostile to Islam. He was killed in a traffic accident on National Road No. 1 while travelling to Tambacounda
Tambacounda
Tambacounda is the largest city in eastern Senegal, southeast of Dakar, and is the Regional capital of the province of the same name. Its estimated population in 2007 was 78,800.-Geography:...
, in the east of Senegal, on the night of April 5–6 2008.