Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Government - Essay Example There are two systems operating in Senegal; one, the system of French law and civil courts. As you are probably aware, it is necessary to the colonization process that the framework of familiar law with which the immigrants of the colonizing country are accustomed to is quickly established in order to maintain that sense of both justice and civilization. This is very important because in an otherwise uncivilized society, such chaos and lack of law can quickly begin to work against the administrative officials charged with civilizing the land. As you are probably aware, the history of Senegal is one of indigenous populations being indoctrinated into the Islamic faith, beginning in the 17th century. Thus, the law of civilized Christianity is foreign to those indigenous peoples who possess an awareness of law; and the rest of the population that are not Muslim, have a strong code of tribal chieftain law that has long served as the parameters within they conduct themselves. In order to provide the indigenous population the necessary time to assimilate into French custom and law, it is necessary to operate two legal systems; that of the indigenous Muslim and chieftain systems, and the French system. The French law and system extends throughout the land, of course, and is applicable in those situations where if an indigenous person is keenly aware of French domination, that they will be treated according to the French law. This has come to pass within the larger cities here, although we do find that Islamic law, severe in many ways, is useful when called upon and allows us to expeditiously deal with malcontents and upstarts who would undermine the French Crown in our endeavors here. Tribal law is recognized to the extent that we pay homage to the chieftains in order that much of the labor in building roads and railways throughout the country is provided by those groups. The more intellectual indigenous, the Muslims, make excellent liaisons between