For Senegalese fishermen, Eid al-Adha is now a source of anguish, not a joyful occasion

by MONIKA PRONCZUK
Associated Press

THIAROYE-SUR-MER, Senegal (AP) — The upcoming holiday of Eid al-Adha should have been a joyful occasion for millions of Muslims in Senegal. But skyrocketing prices, record unemployment and growing inequalities have turned Tabaski — as the holiday is locally known — into a source of anguish for many in this West African nation. In Thiaroye-sur-Mer, a fishing village on the outskirts of Senegal’s capital, many cannot afford food or new clothes for the celebration, as they struggle to get by. Fishermen have been hit by climate change and uneven battle with industrial trawlers from China, Russia and Europe who are now operating in Senegalese waters.