SENEGAL used the 80th anniversary of a tragic massacre on Sunday, to renew its decades-long quest for truth and accountability for African soldiers gunned down by French troops in 1944.
Reuters reports that the commemoration in Thiaroye, a fishing village near Dakar, marked 80 years since the brutal incident where African soldiers who had fought for France during World War Two were killed after demanding fair treatment and payment upon their return.
As Reuters details, the West African nation continues to press France for a full investigation and official apology for what has been described as a horrific act of colonial violence. French President Emmanuel Macron recently acknowledged the event as a “massacre” in a public letter to Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, marking a significant diplomatic moment.
According to Reuters, the death toll remains disputed. While French ex-president Francois Hollande previously raised the official count to at least 70 from an initial 35, historians suggest the actual number could be much higher, with some believing up to 400 African soldiers may be buried in mass graves.
The news agency reports that the commemoration ceremony included a visit to the Thiaroye military cemetery, where flowers were laid to honor the victims. A printed guide to the event described the “horrific repression” of the Senegalese infantry unit.
Reuters notes that this commemoration comes at a time of shifting power dynamics, with France losing influence in its former African colonies. President Faye has called for a “complete, frank and collaborative” investigation into the massacre.
The story, as reported by Reuters, underscores a continuing quest for historical justice and accountability for the African soldiers who sacrificed their lives fighting for France during World War Two, only to be brutally silenced when they sought fair treatment.
