From January to the end of June 2022, participants from each of the 7 countries carried out reflections on the theme of collective wounds, based on a questionnaire.
The results of their reflections are published below.
Senegal
“The tragedy of the sinking of the boat Le Joola, on September 26, 2002, which caused 1863 deaths, is one of the worst wounds my country has ever known.”
Côte d’Ivoire
“These wounds are illustrated by mistrust among the population, psychosis that translates into fear,
malice, injustice, tribalism, nepotism, exile, silence of the victims, frustration and the spirit of revenge.
We are all affected by all these wounds.”
Burkina Faso
“Currently, Burkina Faso is going through an unprecedented security and humanitarian crisis, with its
corollary of millions of internally displaced persons (IDPs), victims of violence, widows and orphans,
many wounded, out-of-school children…”
Mali
“One day armed men entered our country, shooting everywhere, killing many people, and also raping our mothers, sisters and aunts. This is still painful since some of them do not even knowwhere the body of their missing person has disappeared.“
Benin
“In terms of wounds, Benin is divided. The division is a wound. There are also several other wounds in terms of corruption, embezzlement, favoritism, ransom.”
Democratic Republic of the Congo
“For more than two decades, rape has become a weapon of war in the DRC.”
