Ruptly
"Senegal marked its 66th anniversary of independence on Saturday, April 4th, with a military parade in Thies, 70 kilometers east of Dakar. During the celebrations, veterans reflected on the Thiaroye Massacre of 1944 and their current situation, reiterating their calls for greater recognition for their service. "What happened in Thiaroye wasn't a massacre; it was an act of barbarity that should never have occurred [...] We are told there were 70 dead, but that's false; there are more," announced veteran Serge Paris, stressing that independent investigations have been ongoing 'so that the truth will finally come out'. The Thiaroye massacre was a 1944 incident near Dakar in which French colonial troops opened fire on West African soldiers protesting unpaid wages and poor treatment after returning from World War II, with historians estimating up to 70 deaths. While French President Emmanuel Macron has recognised it as a 'massacre' in 2024, France has yet to issue a formal apology or offer reparations to Senegal. Other veterans called on Senegalese authorities to raise their pensions, pressing for an overhaul of a compensation system unchanged since the 1960s and for renewed discussions with Paris on the issue. "A pension from 1960 will not be enough to support a veteran in 2025. The government must increase this; otherwise, no veteran will be able to live decently," underlined a veteran. Despite these grievances, the triumphant mood persisted at the parade venue, as President Bassirou Diomaye Faye arrived at the event, where units from the security and armed forces staged an elaborate display of uniforms, vehicles and armoured tanks, as footage shows. Under the theme 'Defence and Security Forces, Partners of the Youth Olympic Games', this year's celebration brought together more than 3,000 personnel and over 1,200 participants from dozens of civilian groups, as well as young athletes who will compete at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which will take place from October 31 to November 13."
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