Senegal commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Thiaroye massacre on Sunday, honouring the African riflemen killed by French colonial forces on 1 December, 1944. For the first time, French President Emmanuel Macron has officially recognised the killings as a massacre – calling it a tragedy that demands the uncovering of the full truth.
The massacre unfolded at a military camp in Thiaroye, near Dakar, as West African soldiers who had fought for France in World War II demanded their unpaid wages. French troops opened fire, killing an unknown number of unarmed men.
The death toll remains disputed. While military authorities acknowledged 35 deaths at the time, some historians estimate between 300 and 400 victims.
"France must recognise that on that day, the confrontation between soldiers and riflemen who demanded their full legitimate wages be paid, triggered a chain of events that resulted in a massacre," Macron wrote in a letter to Senegalese authorities.
“It is also important to establish, as far as possible, the causes and facts that led to this tragedy.”
France honours WWII colonial troops shot dead by French army in Senegal
New chapter?
This year's commemorations have been prepared carefully, as the truth on the real scale of the massacre finally emerges.
Macron is not at the ceremony but sent France's foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot.
Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, speaking to reporters, said Macron’s words should “open the door” to uncovering the truth.
“We have long sought closure on this story, and we believe that, this time, France’s commitment will be full, frank and collaborative,” he said.
For decades, the Thiaroye massacre was overshadowed by silence and misinformation.
Historians have clashed with colonial military accounts over whether the event was a massacre or a mutiny, and questions about access to archives persist.
Why were they killed? Who gave the order to shoot? Why is this event so little known?
Former French president François Hollande spoken openly about it in 2014. He told RFI it was indeed a "massacre" committed by the French army in the suburbs of Dakar.
Senegalese rifleman who fought for France prepares to carry Olympic flame
Ongoing suspicions
Currently, a delegation of Senegalese historians is in France examining archives, though suspicions persist about documents being kept secret.
French authorities will monitor the work of Senegal’s Committee for the Restoration of the Facts, chaired by historian Mamadou Diouf.
France claims it shared all relevant documents with Senegal in 2014, but Senegalese historians suspect other documents have remained secret.
Diouf told RFI that access to French archives has been limited, drawing parallels to restrictions on records from the Vichy era.
He believes that archives are still in France, and hopes the Senegalese historians will finally get access to them.
Five French MPs have called for a commission of inquiry to shed light on this bloody episode in colonial history. If approved by parliament, the investigation would begin in March 2025.
Cultural works have played a crucial role in preserving the memory of Thiaroye.
Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembène brought the events to international attention with his 1988 film Camp de Thiaroye, while songs, plays, and poems have ensured the story remains alive in Senegal’s collective memory.
