• Poem
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The "Joola": Location of the place of the tragedy.

What happened?

Locate Casamance

Casamance is one of the regions located in the south of Senegal. It is limited by the Atlantic Ocean in the West, The Gambia in the North, Guinea in the south. Casamance is linked to the rest of the country by Tambacounda.

Senegalese Economy is based on its many natural resources. In this way many people travel from Dakar , Saint-Louis or from the other regions to Casamance with the aim to do some trade because the products are very cheap. That is the reason why we need means of transportation aerial and maritim. The road has been the principal way to go to Casamance in a record time. But since the begenning of the eighties the rebelion bas put the region in an insecurity with attacks on the road and many passangers were killed or victims of robbery. The plane ticket is wery expainsive then it doesn't allow the majority to fly. So the only way people can travel in peace with less momey is the boat.

The place of the tragedy

The boat was bilt in Germany. It was bought in 1991 to connect Ziguinchor to Dakar. It was named the "Joola" because the principal ethnic group from Casamance is "Joola". The boat had had some problems since 2001, it had had a serious breakdown. For a year the "Joola" hasn't assured the connection Ziguinchor - Dakar; And the population was annoyed. In September 10th, 2002, th members of the government inaugurated the "Joola" with a new engine. September 26th, 2002 at about 11pm, the boat "Joola" capsized 50 km off the gambian shores exactly in Kafountine. The accident area is located at 17°05 longitude West and at 13°16 latitude North.

What happened?

The causes of this tragedy are:

( group discussing )

• Some students say that the boat has capsized because the weather was rainy with strong storm and the powerful wind
• Other students say that the boat is built to sail in the rivers and the lakes. So the "Joola" should not live the shore.
• Some of the group claim: The "Joola" has capsized because there was an excess weight. The normal nomber of passengers is 550. Well the day of the tragedy about 1034 were in the "Joola". The maximum weight of goods was not respected. There was excess in all plans
• The rest of the group thinks that the boat worked with only one engine instead of two engines.

From Ousseynou Ndoye, Bonaventure Ndong, Ibrahima Faye, Fatimata Kane, Aïchatou Sylla Dieng, Baye Youssouph Ndoye, Moustapha Fall, Pape Djiby Diop, Ababacar Diop, Amadou Lamine Guèye, Oulimata Ndiaye, Martin Ndiaye, Chérif Younouss Sy, Sady Ndiaye

Discussion about the tragedy of the "Joola"

The Responsabilities

Introdution

Last month in the night of Thursday 26th, a very big tragedy happened in the Gambian sea territory: It was the accident of the boat " the Joola".

The responsabilities were huge and we can mention the responsabilities of the government and of the populations.

The responsabilities of the governement

Firt of all the boat was conceived for the rivers and not for the oceans. The firts responsible is the President and his government because however that may be they had permitted the boat to do the crossing though. The boat was old and wasn't operating with its two engines. The national navy had to distribute the means of security before the travelling ( life Jackets... ).

The authorities had to interiene at the very moment of the accident and they had to buy a new boat before the accident but they waited for the tragedy to happen to intend to do it.

The responsabilities of the populations

The responsabilities of the populations aren't numerous but it's to them to refuse the overloadings. The persons hadn't respected the measures of security we want to tell that the passangers exceeded the legal quantity of persons who can do the travel in the boat. The people hadn't respected the instructions

Conclusion

The responsabilities were human and technical consequences were terrible. The real truth will explode because "the tructh is as the sun, the palm of the hand can't hied it". But will the government take more precautions in the future

From Abdou Bâ, Ismaïla Diagne, Abdoulaye Samb, Abdou Ndong, Pape Sakho, Ibrahima Thiaw.

 

The tragedy of the "Joola" and its consequences

The tragedy of the boat "le Joola" which happened on September 26th, 2002 affected all the senegalese people. This tragedy has economic, political and social consequences.

Economic consequences

First of all, the "Joola" was a geat means of transportation expecially for traders linking Dakar and Ziguinchor. All the casamance products are delivered to the other countries, cities and villages by people who mostly relied on that boat which is the only and main transport apportunity since that region is affected by the rebels. People were afraid of travelling by road. With this tragedy business is roughthy stopped. Now the situation will oblige people to do without the casamance products or to buy them at a very high price or to travel harder, by road, with fear of the rebels, to get these products. Traders' lives were easier before that accident. Now their income is reduced and they no longer have the same opportunity to run their business. The Government is spending much money to compensate the victims'families and to buy another boat in order to convince the senegalese people. The tourits will no longer be delighted to visit the country because of the lack of security in the transportation sector.

Political consequences

After the tragedy, many changes can be noticed in the political sector. Two Ministers have resigned from the governement feeling them selves affected and responsible for what happened. The President felt disappointed by his working team. Government members were frigthemed by the moral consequences, they were unconfortable and even ashaned in front of the public.

Social consequences

Many people died in that tragedy. The boat was overloaded. It was supposed to take only 550, when it actually took more than 1000 people. That means that the senegalese populations will be decreased by about 1000 people. Nobody trusts anylonger voyagines by boat to Ziguinchor from Dakar. People from Casamance will press the Government to organise the traffic between Dakar and Ziguinchor. Even the traffic and people's behavior will change positively after that awful event. It's now forbidden to overload buses and cars in the public transportation. Discipline is notified in all sectors. People are more responsible and pay much attention to their actions. They respect each other and know the importance of life.

From Adjia Khadidiatou Mané, Ndèye Coura Ndiaye, Amy Dieng, Aïssatou Bâ, Diariétou Sy, Fatou Ndiaye, Louise Sarr, Ursule Ndiour, Adama Fall, Ahmadou Kane, Mame Sané Ndiaye, Ibrahima Fall, Seydina Sine, Ndèye Maty Samb, Sabelle Diongue, Haby Bâ, Arame Ndoye

The tragedy of the " Joola "

Is that going to happen again? Measure to be taken by the authorities

On September 26th, 2002, the boat the " Joola" had capsized. All the senegalese people were affected by this tragedy. According to the last balance sheet, the boat contained about 1300 passengers, when its normal capacity was 550 persons. There were students, tradesmen, teachers, sailors... Whole fimilies have been lost in this tragedy. Now, nobody wants it to happen again. But for that, what to do?

Before talking about the measures , we must talk about the responsibilities: people don't have to get in a boat or in another engine, when there is an excess load. The following measures must be taken by the governement. investigate for the responsibilities and punish the responsibles

• First, investigate for the responsibilities and punish the responsibles
• Try to find some help from the other countries and tow the boat.
• Buy a new and a sure boat
• This boat must have two engines
• It must have all safety devices required
• The crew must be well trained and oware of safety rules
• The number of passengers on board must not exceed the normal capacity of the boat
• The trip must take place day time
• The communication devices with the two ports must be checked very often
• The new boat must be able to do the journey twice a week
• A committe can be created for relatives of the victims who want to be financially compensated
• The people must take care of themselves better
• They must change their behaviors in disciplining themselves
• Everyday, they must ask themselves if the actions they've done are good or not, if God will like it, if the others will appreciate
• Every body must stopdoing what he wants, for his interest, and think about the others.

From Adi Assiétou Fall, Amy Ndiaye, Babacar Sarr, Ibrahima Diop, Abdoulaye Sidibé, Al Hassane Mamadou Ly, Pape Ngore Sarr Sadio, Adja Ndoumbé Niang, Malick Sène, Papa Badara Diagne

Project on the Joola

The " Joola " a Senegalese state-owned ferry, operated by the army, with at least 1,034 sauls aboard, capsized off-shore the Gambia in the Atlantic Ocean during the early morning hours of September 26th, 2002. We will take some time to figure out who is missing. This night be Africa's worst at disaster, and is certainly an horrific tragedy by any definition.
Ferries are the main way of transportation between north and south Senegal, in part because travel by road is slowed by border checks passing through the Gambia. The " Joola " faided from the Southern Senegalese's city of Ziguinchor destinated for Dakar in the north, on the coast. It appears that the ship was caught in a fierce at Sea-gate like storm just before midnight, September 26th, there are indications that the ferocity of the storm.

THE REASONS

Dié Thiam :
"I think there are many reasons that are accountable for the sinking of the "Joola" boat. Sometimes I think there is a divine responsibility and a punishment for God. God is the one who decides on earth and we all belong to him. He decides things to happen that way because it was something for the well-being of all the passengers on the boat because they had to die that day. And its clear that nobody can thwart God's decisions. God punishes human-beings they no longer respect his "dos" and "donts".
Mental scale; it seems that people go on living life without thinking og God and forget that one day they will go back ho Him. I am wored today there are no laws that people respect. People dress are they want, they think and whatever they desire. Children no longer respect grown-up. And we can say that all these evil things prevailed the boat. Worse is seems that's then end of the world itself, because people are getting worse and worse.
In the old days the only thing God could do was to punish them.

Angelique Moussou :
" I am against this point. I think the reasons of this tragedy are human origin. I believe in God, but I don't accept opinion of people who say: "God intended this to happen". Personally, I think everyone is the master of this own fate. God has given us a responsibility that we must assume. I say all this because I know that if the boat hadn't sunk, nobody would have said that God's will, they would have said that the government should have bought new origins".

Bigué Anna Ndoye:
"For the first reason, I don't totally agree because it doesn't mean that there is the irresponsibility and lack of discipline of the people and happy - go - lucky of the government. Why didn't the Minister for justice and the Minister for Public works take the boat back to Dakar knowing that. They took it on herway to Ziguinchor. They were aware the state of the boat but they didn't take any step to warn the public. About the dangers of travelling with such a boat.

Seynabou Ndoye:
" Something is missing to all these points. The government was obliged to put the boat back on water enven if it wasn't ready for use for. The boat was being repaired and people though it was high time that they could travel by boat the "Joola" for their business-activities. So the government sped up the fixing and that's what had led to this disaster.

Babacar Abass Diouf:
" Therefore, I think that the only reasons is: God's will because people sin a lot and forget about God.
The capacity of the boat was limited to five hundred and fifty ( 550 ) passengers but it was nearly doubled and all of this is nothing but lack of discipline and things can't succed without a minimum of discipline.

Souleymane Niang:
What they have said is correct but something is missing in all these points. It's also important to say that the rebels kill all passengers who use the road to go to Ziguinchor, so the only way to travel without being slaughtered like a sleep was to take a boat. Some people said the sea very windy and that had an impact on equilibrium of the boat. The forecasts have forseen such bad weather but orders were given to the captain to the captain to said this is just at a shame!

THE LOSSES:

Maty Fall:
We have felt very shocked and sad when we learnt about these ship wreaks. The human losses were tremendously far from what imagination could think about.
Besides the materials losses, there is also a great number of people who lost their lives among these people we had women and men, young and old people. These persons were our cousins, brother and sisters uncles and aunts, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, teacher and students… Because we are all Senegalses and there is wheter a sibling, a fring or a neighbour who we know. Therefore we feel said and we are a mourning nation. The thinking of the "Joola" will have an influence on the conscience of people whenever they travel by sea.

Yaye Fatou Diaw:
The tragedy of the "Joola" is terrible loss for my country. Talking about human beings is the victims, women and children comedians, marines artists and singers especially about 400 students from Casamance who were happing for a good futre, all these perons died in one night. The "Joola" was comuting from Dakar to Ziguinchor and on board many different goods its suking is a big loss wich is human, economic. The survivor are no longer human beings for several reasons, among wich health and atism trauma. I hopt that such tragedy will never happen again in Senegal

Amy Fall:

There are many losses that are the human beings who have perished and at the same time their death will have a terrible impact on the Senegalese economy because they were busnessman, teacher and even tourists who played an important role in the economy. For the same the loss will affect the national budget. The thinking has drown below sea level many things such has money, car, ...

The Joola

Alassane Tounkara: The governement has many responsibilities in the accident because the boart "the Joola" needs two motors but the boat had one motor only and when it left Dakar to Ziguinchor the first time, the Minister of the Transport and the Minister of the Army were in the boat and during the travel, the boat had problems and they hadn't said anything.

The people have some responsibilities because they put many baggages are unruly and they haven't any respect for themselves, a good citizenship behaviour

Aminata Fall Ndiaye: The Governement has ignored such phenomenon too long. The authoriries were informed about the bad conditions of the shullte of "Joola"

The commander who hasn't denounced publicly overloading the passengers who accepted to do the transport in disastrous conditions, why not save the victims on time? Everybody is responsible!

Sadio Bâ: The Ministry of Army was responsible because the national oceanic received the order to travel with problems. According to the news, one of the motors wasn't in working order but it was the national oceanic which did the cheicking before the strating of the ship. The Ministry of Transport should prevent this by inspecting regulary their work.

The sellers of tickets have a part of responsibilities because we have more perons than tickets so they are guilty. The captain also is faulty because in the ship there is a dashboard where he could know if the boat was heavy and in this case the wouldn't sail. In all cases all the people are guilty. It just looked like a collective suicide.

Khadidiatou Amélia Diop: The responsibilities are decerned to the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Army because it they have assumed their function they would know that the boat wasn't ready to carry eight hundred persons so why overload it?

The commander of the boat knew that there was an excess on his dashboard and could diminish baggages or perons. But those who verified the boat like the mechancician who has given his argument without that ship in form to sail. Also these who sold tickets are responsibles because if the limited number of persons should have been respected

Babacar Mansou Seck: The Governement has a part of responsibiliy because he has delayed the rescue. It took too much time to intervene.

Mohamed El Habib Ly: The Minister of Transport who was in charge of the renovation of the boat had made two mistakes: he didn't repair it very well and let it begin to sail and carry people. The commander who gave them the order to go without cheiking the conditions of boarding.

The boat can take five hundred fifty persons so these sellers must have sold five hundred fifty but this is the contrary they sold twice as many tickets because their own aim is to be rich. It seemed that all the persons who took place in the boat were blind. many men said that they were more than one thousand. What a stupidity! To finish there is God's will. Immmediately after the meeting of all those mistakes what had happened? The boat capsized!

Penda Sarré: Like the Governement, the administration had responsibilities too because they had respect the meteo.

When our faith yieldo to the divine will our reason in full communion with that faith can't accept the idea of a bad God. When will we beable to understand the price of our freedom, individual and collective responsibilities? A country should be able to get organized, to educate its citizen, to study diagrammes of rapid mobilization of all the rescues and means available to the nation. Because it's when we get under way help that in our capacity to pave lives. The population has responsibilities. There is an obvious way a source of catastrophe in our way to keebusy in the the space and of our daily behaviour. The boat should be in permanent communication with a service well equiped always ready to bring help when there is a problem.

Aïssatou Diop: The "Joola" wreck is a result of our larness, our impoliteness and of our acts indiverse domains. All bad acts of the senegalese are concluded by " It isn't grave" or " God's will". In a word there is fatalism every where. There is too the problem of late comers who sail in small canoes to catch the boat. We can talk about the network MFDC which is a rebel organization because it hadn't has rebels people would travel by car. If we had the correct number of pasengers the catastroph would be less painful. The persons who drive and supervise the boat and register the names don't work correctly because at the place of five hundred fifty persons, they put more than one thousand people; nearly doubled the number. The Commander is too faulty because he has obligation of verify before the travel, the technicians who were supervising, autorised the departure with all the overload so they were guilty. The passengers too were faulty, because if they knew about the situation but they accepted it.

Niatan Ndiaye: The crew is responsible in the accident because in the first place the verification of the boat wasn't totally perfect. The captain has a part of responsibilities because he know that the boat was leaning on are side and it had rusks to sink and he didn't say that. The ticket officer sold one thousand tickets. Passengers had too a part of esponsibilities because there was an excess of people and they still wanted to be inside.

Ndeye Maty Sèye Mbaye and Anta Diouf: Why are the passengers of the Ferry Joola responsible in onepart of thecatastrophe? Because one of them hasn't got means to take plane or car so they take the Joola which is less expensive. Other passengers take the ferry without payning any money because of a relative who works in the Ferry. So everybody wants to take profit from the privileges: their relatives go an journey without payning money or by paying less. So for a Ferry which must take five hundred persons they put a thousand and more there is an unconscousness from the authorities of the boat and the passengers. There was too many people in the cabins when the boat was in Karabane Insland many persons took it although the boat were full of persons lots of people have taken the boat without having a ticket. There wasn't a severe control. No security rules was respected most of the people have taken the boat for having security because going to Dakar by the rould was danerous infact of there wear between rebels and senegalese army.

Cheikh Ahmadou Kane: I think that 50% of the tragedy is the consequence of unconsciousness of the people. If you know that you have an overload in the boat you must get off for save your life but in Senegal people do whatever they like and what we always say " the habit becomes a second nature"

The Consequences

Anne Marie Nwanbasi : The ship wreck of the ferry boat the Joola had a big impact on the senegalese nation in various fields. Now, I wonder how to develop the southern part of Senegal. I mearn all Casamance if the conditions are as bad. All parties must think about that.

Fatoumata Gaye: It reminded the senegalese people that indiscipline and unconsciousness could have terrible effects.

Rokhaya Fall: The ferry was overloaded. More than two times the limited number of passengers wre admitted. Besides an incredible quantity of various luggages and heavy goods was an board. All technical norms were not respected

Galo Sèye: The authorities in charge of the boat are really responsible for the wreck. The Ministers of Transport and Defense have abandonned their functions. The commander in chief of the air army has been dismissed. Indiscipline has always been a major problem in Senegal weeks after the tragedy we don't really feel that things have really changed.

pape Ibrahima Diaw: But it isn't enough. All the responsibles must be severely punished because many traders were on that boat and they punished. They used to buy perishable goods in Casamance to sell.

Mamadou Faty: The Joola was the only one ferry between Ziguinchor and Dakar. It had to be safe and secure. It was a must and an unegotiable obligation . The wreck of the Joola is the biggest trouble is the history of Senegal. never again.

Mouhamadou Fall: Many traders have perished and they have lost all their riches together with they lives. Casamance has always been a priviledged destination for tourism. We all agree to say that this disaster gave us a chance to learn the hard way. A nation can only progess if every citizen is able to assume his or her responsibilities.

Abdourahmane Soumaré: This main activity of senegalese economy will surely suffer from this unprecedented wreck. The trade activities will so be stroyed. Poor Senegal!

Babacar Diallo: You are all right. Beside many people will lose the part-time, on occasionnal jobs. Many families died. Much money and condinuous efforts have been invested to educate them.

Fatoumata gaye: All those good human ressources are not lost for ever.

Idrissa Seck: People of middle and lower classes are not now able to go to Casamance. The roads are unsafe. Rebels and high waymen attack trucks and passengers' cars every day. For exemple, drivers on the road behave as if they were in a rally, some of them don't even respect the traffic lights. Bad behaviour never brings anythings goods, it is because of that the Joola sunk.

Rokhaya Fall: The air ticket is very expensive and the number of planes is very limited. The boat was the only solution for the large majority of travellers.

Moctar Ndiaye: Peace is vital and urgent to settle. Definitely. "Never again must be shouted every where, any time"

Lessons

The tragedy of the "Joola" is one of the biggest disasters in the world. After this tragedy about this boat many lessons appeared allowing avoid another catastroph:

The respect the instructions and to change the maentality

• I think that all the public transport must respect the laws. Every day, the "car rapide" are overloading and policemen said nothing because they are trubeing.
• And WN said that our president told that all the people must be conscious of these problem to avoid another accident.
• I think that the inspection must change a lot of things, because the Senegalse people don't respect the laws and must change their behaviour
• We think that the people must respect the number of planes and instructions because everyday, the persons who use the public transport are exposed to many daners because they beyond the limited weight authorized. But afther the shipwreck of the "Joola", senegalese people are aware of the risk when they don't respect the instructions.

To control the ferry and to increase the security

• We think the Governement had to control the ship because it takes thousands of the persons approximatively five hundred
• We think that the Governement had to take all the dispositions to avoid a disaster and to take in place laws in vigor. But the authorities must control the security because the placement of windows is not regular and the form of the boat
• We think the boat must be controlled before the voyage to increase the security. In the boat, many lawyers must take place to insure the security and the passengers. The governement had to increase the materiel of safety like extinitor, life jacket.

To increase the means of locomotions and to sensibilise the people

Everybody think that it's obligatory to increase the means of locomotions because one boat can't take all the persons because when the people avoid the overloading and there isn't another liaison, somebody didn't accept to stay because they haven't more time to stay for the second week. And the mojority of these passengers are traders and students. To buy a lot of ships is good to avoid the overloading and the travel is very long.

• We think that Governement must organize many campains of sensibilisation because the lessons are useless.
• We said the authorities must broadcost reflect the tragedy and publicity campains. Before sensibilising the senegalese people, everybody must educate himself. And the parents had a big part of this education because if everybody respect himself in the street, nobody does wrong to the others.

We are a nation, Governement and society as a whole should join our efforts, change our behaviour, serve as model citizens by practising what preach, in other ways to prevent tragedies like the sinking again. This preventing our future generation of mothers, fathers from suffering and unduring the pain we're suffering from right now.