Echoes of Thiaroye: Unraveling a Colonial Massacre's Legacy

The Thiaroye massacre's 80th anniversary rekindles tensions between Senegal and France. Despite historians estimating hundreds of deaths, France only recently acknowledged it as a massacre. Senegalese President Faye aims to reclaim the narrative, with extensive commemorations planned to educate the younger generation about this historical injustice.

In Thiaroye, near Dakar, 86-year-old Biram Senghor pays his respects at a military cemetery, uncertain which grave holds his father. M'Bap Senghor was one of many West African riflemen demanding unpaid wages when French troops turned on them in 1944, marking a tragic colonial chapter.

For years, France minimized the Thiaroye massacre's scale, acknowledging only a fraction of the deaths. New acknowledgments by French President Macron hint at a deeper historical reckoning. French archives, handed to Senegal in 2014, remain incomplete, perpetuating the tragedy's mystery.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye seeks to anchor Thiaroye in national discourse, effectively shifting historical narratives about Senegal's colonial past with France. The commemorations coincide with France's waning influence in West Africa, highlighting broader geopolitical implications.

(With inputs from agencies.)