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The Diola or Jola in Wolof spelling are an ethnic group found in present-day Senegal (where they are predominant in the Casamance region), the Gambia and Guinea- bissau. There are a large number of them on the Atlantic coast between the southern bank of the Gambia River, the Casamance region of Senegal, and the northern region of Guinea-Bissau. The Diola are thought to have preceded the Mande and Fula on the riparian coast of Senegambia and may have migrated to Casamance before the 13th century. The Diola language differs from the Dioula (Dyoula) of the Mande people of the Gambia, Upper Niger, and the Kong Highlands of Burkina Faso. There are several Jola languages, all of them classified within the Bak languages within the Western Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo languages.

History

The Diola began to settle in the territory they currently occupy since the early s. XVI. Some founded their own independent towns; others chose to settle in pre-existing towns where they often lived in separate areas, a practice that is still common today.

The Casamance region is the region with the highest concentration. It is separated from the rest of Senegal by the Gambia and the Gambia River. Casamance's secessionist sentiments have existed since colonial times during which the Diolas resisted French influence. Traditionally, the people of Casamance have remained aloof from other parts of Senegal. The geographical and political separation by the Gambia River and the British colony of The Gambia helped them to maintain their own language and culture but also hindered their integration into the rest of Senegal. The differences are enormous in many aspects: language, culture, religion (while in the rest of the country more than 80 percent of the population is Muslim, the Diolas and other Casamance peoples have maintained their traditional religion or Christianity. After After the Independence of Senegal, in 1960, the new rulers of the State, through their centralism, a copy of the French state, repeated the colonial practices.This "internal colonialism" produced excessive socio-economic inequalities between the ethnic groups and As a result, the aggrieved people consider their region to be politically dominated, and economically they consider themselves exploited by the internal colonizer, that is, by his government.

Most of the region's agricultural and tourism revenue goes to Dakar, the country's capital. Its sense of neglect by the government in terms of infrastructure, education, and economic development is even more apparent when compared to the development of neighboring The Gambia.

When Gambian President Dawda Kairaba Jawara saw his government threatened in 1981, Senegalese President Abdou Diouf sent troops to his rescue and as a result both countries signed the creation of the "Senegambia Confederation" on December 12, 1981 (entered into force on February 1, 1982). But the agreement was dissolved on September 30, 1989 due to their political differences (Diouf intended to become president of the Confederation), and because of Gambia's discontent with what they considered an unfair price policy. The failure of the confederation was negative for Casamance because they preferred to trade with Banjul (the capital of Gambia) rather than Dakar (the capital of Senegal). Casamance and Gambia both shared a common experience: the domination by the State of Senegal. In addition, the geographical proximity to Banjul made transportation easier and less expensive. Thus, the disintegration of the Senegambian confederation worsened the economic situation of Casamance.

The current phase of the secessionist movement in Casamance began in 1982, when the MFDC, led by the Diola people, organized a peaceful march to demand the secession of the Senegalese state. The government quashed the protest by arresting the leaders. Since then, the government has used force in response to Casamance's political demands.

Hundreds have been recognized dead and thousands have had to leave their homes fleeing armed attacks by the Senegalese army since 1982. The current turbulent situation in the Casamance region can be fundamentally attributed to the political and economic grievances that they have suffered and only secondarily as a result of ethnic hostility or jealousy of the Diolas towards the Wolof (the country's dominant ethnic group: 36%).

The diolas demand that two situations be resolved that they consider unfair:

The first, the economic abandonment since Independence and the exploitation of their lands by the central government, giving the case that in the 80s, to achieve greater productivity of the rich lands of Casamance, many small farmers who maintained subsistence agriculture were expropriated and later transferred to settlers from the north (ie, Wolofs, Serers, and Toucouleurs).

And secondly, the confrontation due to the contempt of their government towards their ethnic, linguistic and religious differences. The Diola people do not speak Wolof, the nation's main language, or French, the language of Senegal's government. They are despised for their traditional or Christian beliefs.

This is why the diolas ask that they be allowed to exploit their own economic resources, ending internal colonialism and abandonment in terms of infrastructure and education.

Throughout the 1990s, intense army attacks continued despite a ceasefire agreed in 1993. In 1995 alone, the government was blamed for the deaths of hundreds of people. The region has calmed down since late 1995 when the MFDC called for a new ceasefire. Negotiations between the government and the rebels began in early 1996. The rebels are more interested in achieving equal treatment and developing their region than in complete independence. They would like the Senegalese government to put some of the profits it receives from the region's resources back into Casamance. The current negotiations may result in a lasting peace in Casamance, but the region's geographic isolation from the rest of the country and the cultural differences of the people in the region may continue to cause tensions between Casamance and the north.

Economy

Casamance is favored with 2 to 3 times more rain than northern Senegal. While the northern part is an immense savannah threatened with constant and rapid desertification, Casamance enjoys trees and fertile lands that are good for agriculture. The region produces most of the country's food (including half of the country's rice, cotton, and corn) producing both for domestic use and for export. It also has the main tourist resources of Senegal.

Society

The Diola live in clans, and the clan is the most important aspect of their lives. People are fiercely loyal to their clans and proudly defend them. They transmit their history and beliefs through oral traditions, songs and dances. Men and women live in separate houses made of mud or cement; men in round houses and women in rectangular houses. The father is the head of the family, and inheritances are passed from parents to their children. The older males hold most of the power and influence. They have a life expectancy of 45 years, with half of the population under 15 years of age. There are different clans from the Diola Kalunae to the Diola Fogni settled in Senegal.

Religion

Approximately 20% maintain the traditional religion, 50% the Christian and 30% the Muslim.