Monumental Failure? Senegal Trades Land to North Korea For Massive Statute Designed By President — Jesse Jackson Applauds Result
jonathanturley
Senegal and North Korea have two things in common. One is abject poverty. The other is that they are now neighbors. North Korea, which is gradually starving an entire nation out of existence, bought a piece of Senegal in exchange for funding the construction of a massive statue designed by President Abdoulaye Wade. While others have condemned the exchange (and the use of over $20 million for such an extravagance), Jesse Jackson appeared at the ceremony to praise President Wade, stating “This renaissance statue is a powerful idea from a powerful mind.”
North Korea still demands the world pay to feed its people while it spends lavishly on its president and its military. It will be interesting when Wade demands millions in aid while spending so much on this statue.
Wade insisted that the 164-foot cooper structure of a man, woman, and child is the tallest statue in the world. The claim was immediately rejected by various sources citing a number of taller statues, including China’s Spring Temple Buddha is stands roughly 420 feet high.
Opposition groups in Senegal denounced the statue as a waste of money during a time of economic crisis in the country and part of an effort to establish a dynasty by Wade.
The statue itself, which is quite striking, has been condemned by Islamic leaders for showing the thigh of the mother, here and here.
