Fatshimetrie recently highlighted the fascinating story of Oumar Dieme, a former Senegalese rifleman aged over 90, who is about to experience an unforgettable moment by carrying the Olympic flame at the opening of the Paris Games this summer .
In the shade of majestic fruit trees, Dieme remembers his years spent within the “Senegalese Tirailleurs” – an African infantry troop who fought alongside France during the two world wars and the various decolonization conflicts.
Dressed in a traditional boubou adorned with medals, Dieme speaks with emotion of his missions in Indochina and Algeria, remembering those who were never able to return to their homeland. “Many of my comrades stayed there. Others came back mutilated or are no longer in this world,” he confides, his blue kepi displaying the rank of sergeant.
Around twenty men from his village of Badiana, in the southern region of Casamance, served in the Senegalese Tirailleurs until its dissolution in the 1960s. Dieme considered himself one of the “lucky” ones: “I I’m the only survivor. It was a miracle to be chosen,” he confides, surrounded by his family and the remains of dilapidated buildings.
His selection as bearer of the Olympic flame for the passage to Seine-Saint-Denis during the opening of the Paris Games was greeted by Stéphane Troussel, president of the department, thus underlining the importance of remembering these soldiers Africans, long forgotten from the collective memory.
Despite his advanced age, Dieme, who discovered the concept of the Olympic flame for the first time, expressed the wish to be accompanied by his son during this symbolic moment.
His journey reflects that of thousands of soldiers born in the former French colonies of Africa, engaged from their youth in the Senegalese Tirailleurs. Dieme joined in 1953, after leaving the Gambia where his father had sent him to study the Koran. He volunteers to go to Indochina, attracted by the rewards and distinctions observed on ghosts.
He recounts with emotion painful memories, such as the loss of 22 companions during an ambush or the impossibility of reaching Dien Bien Phu before the defeat of the French Union troops in 1954. His experience will then extend to the Algerian War, marking the period when Senegal gained independence from France in 1960.
After a busy military career, Dieme retired at the age of 36, subsequently working as a security guard at the University of Dakar and a bank courier until 1988. His life in France, where he finally obtained French nationality, was punctuated by administrative struggles for his recognition and that of his comrades.
His return to Senegal allowed him to reconnect with his roots and live peacefully between his village and Dakar, surrounded by his family and the affection of his community. Her participation in this historic moment, carrying the Olympic flame, is the fruit of the efforts of Aïssata Seck, municipal councilor in Bondy and president of a Tirailleurs commemorative association.
This symbolic gesture, in a context marked by tensions and hate speech, highlights the diversity and wealth of France, recalling the commitment and sacrifice of African soldiers in the service of the nation. Oumar Dieme embodies this living memory and bears witness to the greatness of history, as his inspiring story resonates across borders and generations.