The Thiaroye Massacre in 1944: A Dark Page in Franco-Senegalese History
Eighty years ago, on December 1, 1944, a tragic event took place at the Thiaroye military camp near Dakar, the capital of Senegal. On that day, an unknown number of Senegalese riflemen, veterans of World War II, were executed by the French colonial authorities. Officially, the death toll was 35, but historians estimate that the figure was ten times higher.
This obscure tragedy, long obscured by a veil of silence and indifference, is resurfacing with force today, thanks in large part to Biram Senghor, a direct descendant of one of the victims of this massacre. His fight for the truth and recognition of the suffering endured by his father, M’Bap Senghor, and his comrades in arms, is a moving testimony of resilience and the quest for justice.
Biram Senghor, aged 86, embodies the voice of memory and the trampled dignity of these African soldiers sacrificed for France. His call resounds like a moral and historical demand: that France finally acknowledge its wrongs, make an official apology and pay compensation to the victims’ families, while fully assuming its responsibility for this ignominious act.
The complicit silence of the colonial authorities, then the embarrassed silence of successive French governments, have for too long maintained oblivion and injustice. Biram Senghor refuses to remain silent, to resign himself to collective amnesia. His fight for truth and reparation is an act of courage and dignity, a compelling reminder that history cannot be erased or distorted with impunity.
Biram Senghor’s emotion and anger resonate like a cry of revolt against the infamy and cowardice of which his compatriots have been victims. His call to France, a nation of human rights and freedom, resonates like a call to fully assume its dark side and to repair the injustices of the past.
Today, at the time of the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the Thiaroye massacre, it is time for France to face its history, to finally look in the face the dark pages of its collective memory. The truth, the whole truth, must be told, recognized, assumed. Apologies and reparations are the first steps towards justice and reconciliation. Biram Senghor embodies this demand for truth and reparation, this quest for dignity and recognition for his ancestors who have fallen into oblivion and barbarity.
On this day of commemoration, let us remember Thiaroye, these forgotten soldiers, their courage and their sacrifice. Let us remember M’Bap Senghor and his comrades in arms, who died for France in indifference and ingratitude. Let us honor their memory, carry their voice and their fight for truth and justice. The duty of remembrance is a duty of humanity, a duty of recognition towards those who gave their lives for a cause greater than themselves.
The Thiaroye massacre in 1944 remains a gaping scar in Franco-Senegalese history, a wound that can only be healed by truth, justice and reparation. By standing alongside Biram Senghor and all those who demand justice, we are committed to the path of reconciliation and restored dignity. Let us not forget Thiaroye, let us not forget history, so that humanity can move towards a future of peace and mutual respect.