On Saturday December 21, 2024, the auditorium of the Museum of Black Civilizations (MCN) in Dakar was the scene of a commemorative conference marking the 80th anniversary of the massacres of Senegalese riflemen in Thiaroye. The theme of this conference entitled “From Sétif to Thiaroye: the Shadows of History, the Archives in the Memory of Colonial Violence”, brought together academics, archivists, librarians, historians, sociologists, as well as students from John F. Kennedy High School and a large audience. Professor Mamadou Diouf of Columbia University, who was president of the Thiaroye 44 commemoration committee, honored the event with his presence. Doctor Adama Aly Pam, lecturer, expert in archival science and history was also present. He is chief archivist at UNESCO Paris headquarters where he is in charge of the historical archives department, the management of administrative documents and the library.
Systematic Colonial Violence
The discussions highlighted the extent of the violence inflicted by the colonial system on economic, cultural and physical levels. The massacres of Sétif (Algeria) and Thiaroye (Senegal) have been presented as emblematic episodes of colonial injustice. Thiaroye, in particular, appeared to be a tipping point, marking a turning point in the repression of the demands of repatriated riflemen. These, after having fought under the French flag, were betrayed, assassinated and buried in silence.
Doctor Adama Aly Pam, head of the Unesco Paris archives, at the start of his presentation asked the following question to the audience: “Why did more than a million deaths between 1944 and 1962 fall into almost total oblivion? in the collective consciences in the countries victims of colonial massacres? According to the head archivist of Unesco, “ for me, it's mainly coloniality. Because one of the main characteristics of coloniality is to make people forget.
He also emphasized that colonization was itself a form of violence, imposing foreign administration and exploiting local resources while disrupting cultural identities. These dynamics were reinforced by a strategy of methodical elimination of historical traces, aimed at controlling the narrative and imposing a favorable memory on the colonial authorities.
The Archives: Tools of Power and Resilience
“Archives are silent witnesses to the past”, declared Dr. Pam, recalling that these documents are essential for understanding and analyzing colonial violence. He explained that archives, far from being neutral, reflect power struggles and constitute an issue of power. Their limited access and their historical manipulation by the former colonizers contributed to the production of oblivion. Furthermore, the head of archives at UNESCO castigated the notion of archives of sovereignty. According to him, it reflects the desire for domination of the colonial enterprise by monopolizing archival elements to hide the atrocities committed. And that of “management archive” means nothing.
`Despite these obstacles, initiatives are emerging to restore the truth. Recent missions by researchers to the French archives have made it possible to identify the names and faces of riflemen previously reduced to numbers. These efforts illustrate the capacity of archives to resurrect forgotten histories and reestablish collective memory.
A call for justice and reconciliation
In his speech, the No. 1 technical advisor to the Minister of Sports and Culture, representing the Senegalese authorities, announced significant measures to anchor this tragic episode in national history. The creation of a National Memory Council and a House of Archives have been proposed. These initiatives aim to preserve historical heritage and promote lasting reconciliation.
Dr Pam also called for the strengthening of heritage institutions and the integration of Thiaroye into school curricula. “It is not enough to remember during commemorations. Our children must learn this history to better understand their present and build their future,” he declared.
The conference concluded on the importance of transcending national divisions to make the memory of colonial violence a global issue. The speakers underlined the collective responsibility to preserve this memory, not only to honor the victims, but also to deconstruct the mechanisms of domination that persist today.
This event reaffirmed that reclaiming one’s history is an act of resilience and justice. Thiaroye is not just a place, but a powerful symbol of struggles for dignity and emancipation
LAMINE DIEDHIOU
