and fishing industries, which were traditionally staffed by the Senegalese, also suffered from the expulsions. The water, sanitation, and general infrastructure of the Senegalese bank of the river, already operating at peak capacity, was overwhelmed by the sheer number of refugees. The Senegalese population centers of Podor and Matam saw their populations grow by 13.6% and 12% respectively. The populations of some other villages in Senegal doubled. In terms of domestic politics in Senegal, the conflict may have contributed to the rise of the PDS and Abdoulaye Wade due to the then governments inability to deal with the social crisis caused by the influx of vast numbers of refugees. Senegal was further undermined by its neighbors following the war, with problems arising over the demarcation of the border with Guinea-Bissau in the wake of the conflict, and difficulties with the Gambia leading to the dissolution of the Senegambia Confederation in 1989. The period of conflict has also had a lasting impact on relations between Mauritania and Senegal as well as domestic perceptions of each other. Refugee repatriation In June 2007, the Mauritanian government under President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to help it repatriate black Mauritanians who had been forced out in the war and were living in refugee camps in Mali and Senegal. The UNHCR assisted 24,272 Mauritanians living in Senegal to repatriate between January 2008 and March 2012, when the program ended. According to UNHCR estimates, there were 6,000 refugees in Mali as of July 2007 and 14,000 refugees in Senegal as of October 2012. References External links HRW Report 1989 in Mauritania 1989 in Senegal 1990 in Mauritania 1990 in Senegal 1991 in Mauritania 1991 in Senegal 1989 riots Conflicts in 1989 Conflicts in 1990 Conflicts in 1991 Race riots Wars involving the states and peoples of Africa Wars involving Mauritania Wars involving Senegal Territorial disputes of Senegal Territorial disputes of Mauritania Mauritania–Senegal border Mauritania–Senegal military relations