[Intl-tobacco] Part I: Solidarity in action in SENEGAL

[Robert Weissman]

From: Anna White <awhite@essential.org>


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TOBACCO CONTROL ACROSS BORDERS:
U.S. Delegation to West Africa
      Part I: SENEGAL
    February 9-15, 2004
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CONTENTS:

1. Goree Island: Reflections on Slavery & Tobacco
2. A Taste of Rural Life & A Store That Doesn't Sell Tobacco
3. Meetings with Government and NGO Representatives
4. U.S.-Senegal Global Partners Hold Press Conference
5. SmokeFree Houston Coalition Denounces "Houston" Cigarette Brand 6.
Caravan Tour of Dakar: Drumming & Dancing for Tobacco Control!
7. Youth March Calls on Senegal to Ratify the FCTC
8. Special Thanks!


1/ GOREE ISLAND: REFLECTIONS ON SLAVERY & TOBACCO

On their first day in Senegal, the delegation took a boat to Goree Island,
where tens of thousands of slaves once passed through on their way to
America. At the Museum of Slaves, the delegation had the
opportunity to look out on Atlantic Ocean through the infamous "Door of No
Return."
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/013jh.jpg

As we stood by the door, we reflected upon the many parallels between the
slave trade and the tobacco trade. The slave trade may be over, but now
multinational tobacco companies are aggressively expanding their business
in Africa, increasing their profits at the expense of African lives. How
many more slaves to its addictive products will the tobacco industry
capture? Senegalese artists seemed to have similarly reflected upon these
parallels.  On Goree Island we saw a picture of the Museum of Slaves made
out of discarded cigarette packs and butts:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/011aw.jpg
... and also a Skull and Cross Bones made out of cigarettes:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/011jh.jpg
In the World Health Organization's office we came across this "Slave to
Tobacco" artwork:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/067aw2.jpg

Later in the evening, we watched a video that Carol McGruder's group had
prepared with its Senegalese and Togolese partners called "A Life is a
Life," which focuses on the tobacco industry's targeting of Africans and
African-Americans. The video notes wryly, "We used to pick it - now they
want us to smoke it!"
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/030aw.jpg

Read more about this topic on the San Francisco African American
Tobacco-Free Project website:
http://www.polarisinc.com/tobacco/


2/ A TASTE OF RURAL LIFE & A STORE THAT DOESN'T SELL TOBACCO

The next day, the delegation traveled four hours north to Saint-Louis, a
coastal fishing town.  On the way, they stopped in the rural village of
NDiabene Toube to check out Senegalese village life.  They were warmly
welcomed by the village chief and his family, who were thoroughly
entertained by their foreign visitors' eagerness to try new things, such
as dancing, carrying buckets on their heads, and wearing Senegalese
cloths:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/035jh.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/052aw.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/054aw2.jpg

While there, the delegation had an opportunity to meet and interview Abou
Gueye, one of two people in the village who lives and works in the U.S.
(Chicago, IL).  The Gueye family owns one of two village stores that do
not sell tobacco products for health reasons. View a photo of Abou in
front of his family's store:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/050aw.jpg


3/ MEETINGS WITH GOVERNMENT AND NGO REPRESENTATIVES

The delegation met with a variety of organizations and officials during
the week. At these meetings we discussed a variety of issues, such as:
tobacco industry strategies for targeting young people in the U.S. and
Senegal; evidence of tobacco industry efforts to thwart tobacco control
legislation in Senegal; New York City's successful smokefree campaign; and
the importance of Senegal ratifying and implementing the Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control. In addition to CONGAD, an alliance of
Senegalese NGOs, and the Ministre de l'Industrie et de l' Artisanat, we
visited...

...the National Assembly (equivalent to the U.S. Congress), where we met
with one of the legislators, Madior DIOUF, about tobacco control efforts
in Senegal
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/063jh.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/066jh.jpg

...and the World Health Organization, where the gift of a "I Love
SmokeFree New York" sign was much appreciated!
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/067aw.jpg


4/ U.S./SENEGAL GLOBAL PARTNERS HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE

Near the end of the delegation's stay in Senegal, a press conference was
held to draw media attention to a variety of tobacco control issues. The
room was decorated with banners made the weekend before at a Reality Check
board meeting in NY.

Carol McGruder spoke of the parallels between the tobacco industry's
targeting of youth in Senegal and low-income African-American youth in the
U.S.

Anna White highlighted results of a youth survey she conducted in Dakar in
1998, which found: over 55% had attended concerts sponsored by
tobacco companies; nearly 20% owned items with cigarette logo; and nearly
80% favored Marlboro advertisements over those of other cigarette brands.
Read a summary of the survey findings:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/wafr04/snsurvey.html

The delegation also presented internal Philip Morris documents detailing
efforts to lobby against strong tobacco control legislation in Senegal in
the early 1980s (the legislation was adopted, but quickly gutted)
http://www.pmdocs.com/PDF/1000029900.PDF
http://www.pmdocs.com/PDF/2024950127_0130.PDF
... and the company's use of "AMERICA" to market cigarettes in West Africa.
http://www.pmdocs.com/PDF/2501128627A_8629.PDF

Anna White commented on the irony of Philip Morris using images of white
Americans to market cigarettes in Senegal, while using images of
Africans to market cigarettes in the U.S.
Philip Morris L&M ad (Senegal, 1996):
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/sn/L&Mboard.jpg
Philip Morris Virginia Slim ad (US, 1998):
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/wafr04/findvoice.jpg

Theresa Ogide-Alaeze spoke of the importance of community-based
education programs, based on her experience in Nigeria, as well as the
dangers of tobacco smoke pollution.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/071aw.jpg

Dave Walling spoke about New York State's successful smokefree campaign.
Images of New York have long been used in tobacco industry
advertisements around the world, but the reality is that New York is a
leader in protecting its residents from tobacco smoke pollution.  New York
City is also a champion of high tobacco taxes, where a pack of cigarettes
now costs about $7.
Philip Morris ad featuring NYC (Senegal, 1998):
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/sn/L&MWTCs.jpg

Jessica Harvey and Katy Pezzimenti talked about New York's youth action
movement, Reality Check, and the impact of Hollywood movies on smoking
rates around the world (the focus of a current Reality Check campaign)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/071jh.jpg

The U.S. delegation and their Senegalese colleagues concluded that the
best way for Senegal to protect its citizens from the tobacco industry
would be to ratify and implement the FCTC.

Press coverage before & after the conference (L'Info 7):
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/wafr04/linfo7s.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/wafr04/linfo72.pdf


5/ SMOKEFREE HOUSTON COALITION DENOUNCES "HOUSTON" CIGARETTE BRAND

At the press conference, the delegation distributed copies of an
statement by the SmokeFree Houston Coalition denouncing the use of the
name "Houston" for a cigarette brand that is marketed heavily in
Senegal. A new Houston billboard had just been put up throughout Dakar
before the U.S. delegation's arrival.  Somewhat ironically, the city
skyline that it features is Seattle, not Houston!
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/109aw2.jpg

While driving around Dakar, we were especially shocked to see several
basketball courts painted with the Houston logo and filled with young
children.  Here are a few photos:

"Houston" basketball backboard
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/135jh.jpg
Close up of backboard with "USA" showing
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/138jh.jpg
Young kids playing on "Houston" court
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/137aw.jpg
Close up of kids who had been playing basketball
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/141jh.jpg

Read the statement by the SmokeFree Houston Coalition:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/wafr04/smfrhouston.html

Read a statement by Houston-based GPTC participant Joel Dunnington:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/wafr04/joeldunnington.html


6/ CARAVAN TOUR OF DAKAR: DRUMMING & DANCING FOR TOBACCO CONTROL!

One of the highlights of our visit to Senegal was the "caravan"
organized by Mouvement Anti-Tabac du Senegal, which involved dozens and
dozens of Senegalese youth tobacco control advocates and a traditional
"tam tam" drumming group cramming into trolley cars with us and touring
the streets of Dakar.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/081aw.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/085jh.jpg

The caravan was bedecked with the U.S. and Senegal flags and a variety of
tobacco control banners made by U.S. and Senegalese youth.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/095aw.jpg

As we drove through various Dakar neighborhoods, the youth danced lively
and shouted tobacco control chants to the great amusement of all who we
passed by.  Everyone -- including little children, women with baskets on
their heads and babies on back, and old men with canes -- couldn't resist
dancing to the rhythmic beat!

We took the opportunity to document tobacco ads along the way, such as
this Houston billboard:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/089aw.jpg
...and this Craven "Make It Happen!" kiosk
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/093jh.jpg

Later that evening, the Senegalese youth and the "tam tam" drummers
treated the U.S. delegation to a traditional "sabar" dance, at the home of
one of the youth.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/097jh8.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/097jh4.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/098aw.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/098aw2.jpg

After the dance, delegation members from New York were introduced to a
neighbor who lives most of the year in New York.  To their pleasure, the
Senegalese woman knew about Reality Check!


7/ YOUTH MARCH CALLS ON SENEGAL TO RATIFY THE FCTC

The last day of the delegation's visit to Senegal, we joined over 400
Senegalese youth in a march through Dakar to call for the ratification of
the FCTC.  Many wore t-shirts decorated with the U.S. and Senegalese flags
and the messages: "Stop the Globalization of Tobacco" & "Ratify the FCTC
immediately!" The march featured a number of great visuals, most striking
of which were four gigantic cigarettes, painstakingly constructed by youth
involved with MAT-Senegal.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/080jh.jpg

The march was led by tam tam players and youth holding U.S. and
Senegalese flags
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/108aw4.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/106aw8.jpg

The giant cigarettes joined the march, adorned with messages "I kill" in
French and "I'm a killer" in Wolof
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/106aw.jpg

Senegalese youth carried a banner made by Reality Check "BAT: Stop Selling
Death in Africa"
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/106aw9.jpg

A Senegalese youth carried a sign with Marlboro baby cloths
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/107aw5.jpg

Along the way, U.S. and Senegalese youth marched hand in hand
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/110aw2.jpg

At one point, the march passed a Marlboro billboard
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/113aw2.jpg

One giant cigarette clarified what Marlboro is all about
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/113aw4.jpg

Senegalese and U.S. participants are interviewed by media
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/113aw5.jpg
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/113aw7.jpg

The march ended at the headquarters of Senegal's national television
station.  A pile of cigarettes was placed at the entrance and then
symbolically burned. Then Moustapha Drame, President of MAT-Senegal's
youth outreach program, read the "Declaration of Dakar" (signed by all
U.S. delegation members) to the media and march participants.
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/114aw2.jpg

The declaration calls for Senegal to protect the health of its citizens by
ratifying the FCTC
Read the Declaration (in French):
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/wafr04/declaration.pdf

TV5 did a story on the march which aired throughout West Africa.  GPTC
participants in Benin said that they saw us on television!  The
Walfadjri newspaper also published an article on the march (February 16,
2004):
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/wafr04/walfadjri.pdf


8/ SPECIAL THANKS

We would also like to thank all the youth involved with MAT-Senegal who
participated in the activities described above. Special thanks go to the
youth who put in many extra hours making props, organizing events, and
accompanying the delegation everywhere we went: Samba, Jean Leopold,
Oulimata, and many, many more! We will not forget your Senegalese
"teranga".

One last picture that sums up the trip: youth-to-youth friendship and
solidarity across borders!
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/097jh3.jpg

View more photos from Senegal at:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/wafr04/sn/

---------------------------------------
Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
Essential Action
P.O. Box 19405
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +1 202-387-8030
Fax: +1 202-234-5176
Email: tobacco@essential.org
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco