France has acknowledged for the primary time that its troopers carried out a “bloodbath” in Senegal during which dozens – maybe lots of – of West African troopers had been killed nearly precisely 80 years in the past, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye stated.
Those who died had been a part of the Tirailleurs Senegalais unit, recruited at first of World War II to assist defend France, the colonial energy.
Upon returning to Senegal in 1944 many protested their pay, historians say, which led to a brutal response.
The killings have been a degree of rivalry between Senegal and France and their recognition by Paris comes as Faye talks of a reassessment of relations between the 2 nations.
Those who joined the Tirailleurs Senegalais got here not solely from Senegal but in addition from throughout France’s African empire, together with what’s now Mali, Guinea, Niger, Benin, and Chad.
They had been despatched to France and plenty of had been captured by Germany throughout its profitable invasion of the nation. Freed in 1944, the troopers had been introduced again to Senegal and housed within the Thiaroye army camp, 15 kilometers from the capital Dakar.
Even earlier than leaving France, many had complained in regards to the pay they had been presupposed to obtain and that it was not the identical as different French troops, says historian Armelle Mabon. Anger over cash as soon as grew in Thiaroye, which the colonial authority thought of a mutiny.
On December 1, the French violently ended the protests. It was stated on the time that 35 riflemen had been killed, however some have estimated the demise toll to be as excessive as 400.
“France should acknowledge that on that day, the conflict between troopers and riflemen demanding fee of their full legit wage triggered a series of occasions that led to a bloodbath,” the AP information company quotes a letter from the president Frenchman Emmanuel Macron to Faye as talked about.
Previously, in 2014, then-president François Hollande had referred to as what occurred a “bloody repression.”
Senegal will mark the eightieth anniversary of the capturing on Sunday.
In his response to Macron’s letter, Faye, quoted by AP, was quoted as saying that the popularity of his French counterpart would “open the door” in order that “the entire reality about this painful occasion in Thiaroye” may very well be found.
“We have lengthy sought a conclusion to this story and we consider that, this time, France’s dedication shall be whole, frank and collaborative,” he added.
He additionally indicated he might search an apology.
Sixty-four years after Senegal’s independence, France nonetheless has a army presence within the nation, however talking to the AFP information company on Thursday, Faye, elected in March, stated France ought to shut its base there.
“Senegal is an impartial nation, it’s a sovereign nation and sovereignty doesn’t settle for the presence of army bases in a sovereign nation,” he was quoted as saying.
Additional reporting by Mamadou Faye in Dakar.
