Reaction to France’s Recognition of ‘Morts pour la France’
The Senegalese Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, responded on Sunday, July 28, to Paris’ decision to posthumously recognize six Senegalese soldiers executed by French army officers at Thiaroye in 1944 as ‘morts pour la France.’ Sonko emphasized that France cannot unilaterally dictate the narrative of this tragic history and determine the extent of recognition and reparations these African soldiers deserve.
The Thiaroye Massacre
On the morning of December 1, 1944, at the Thiaroye military camp near Dakar, colonial troops and French gendarmes fired on repatriated Senegalese soldiers demanding their outstanding wages. Officially, at least thirty-five soldiers died as a result of this incident, although historians dispute this number. The location of their burial remains a topic of debate, highlighting the lasting trauma and memory of the massacre in Senegal and across Africa.
Calls for Revision and Reflection
Ousmane Sonko, advocating for a reevaluation of French policies, questions the timing of France’s acknowledgement of the events at Thiaroye as Senegal marks the 80th anniversary of the massacre this year. He asserts a new approach to commemorating Thiaroye 44 with a shifted perspective. The French National Office for Veterans and Victims of War has posthumously recognized six tirailleurs, with the possibility of more identifications in the future.
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