The Thiaroye massacre in 1944 remains etched in the collective memory, like an irreparable wound inflicted on the history of African riflemen. Among them, M’bap Senghor embodies the symbol of the tragedy experienced by these fighters who fell under French bullets after having valiantly served during the Second World War. Returning from the front, his life was abruptly interrupted at the Thiaroye camp, raising a nagging question: massacre or repression?
The testimonies of descendants, like Biram Senghor, son of M’pab, resonate like songs of memory, calling for truth and justice for these sacrificed soldiers. The heavy silence that surrounded this event for decades has given way to an incessant quest for recognition and rehabilitation of the victims. The gray areas persist, maintained by the areas of unspoken words and denials that still surround this painful chapter of Franco-African history.
Beyond the emotion and pain, there is an imperative need to pay tribute to these men, to their courage and their commitment to serving France, often at the cost of their lives. The scandal of the Thiaroye massacre reveals the flaws of a system, the stigmata of an era where human value could be flouted in the name of discrimination and racial hierarchy.
Faced with this dark reality, the light of truth must be shed, so that these unjustly treated African riflemen can finally regain their dignity and their place in History. The stories of descendants, historical investigations, and official commemorations are all ways to re-establish the truth and heal the still gaping wounds of this tragedy.
By honoring the memory of the Thiaroye riflemen, it is also an opportunity to salute the contribution of the colonial forces to the liberation of Europe, while questioning the responsibilities and injustices that marked these dark pages of our shared history. The duty to remember is an ethical and moral imperative, recalling that history can only be written in the light of truth and justice.