Senegal: civil society mobilized to remove the symbols of colonialism

Text by: RFI Follow

The colonial past is called into question thanks to the shock wave created by the murder of George Floyd in the United States. Personalities of colonialism, highlighted in the public space, are disputed in Belgium, in France, in England, in Italy, but also Senegal. In Saint-Louis, civil society wants to unbolt the statue of Governor Faidherbe.

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With our correspondent in Dakar , Théa Ollivier

The statue of Louis Léon Faidherbe , the country's colonial administrator, has stood for over a hundred years in a central square in Saint-Louis, not far from the bridge of the same name. Symbols inherited from the colonial era that Bamba Faye, blogger and militant Saint-Louis, wants to see disappear

“  Faidherbe is seen as the governor who has had to do too much harm to the people of Saint-Louis. The Faidherbe statue can be just exhibited in a museum and (it would be necessary) that the name of these places can be given to personalities who have done a lot for Senegal,  ”he believes.

These civil society demands are recurrent in Senegal, especially since the statue fell after a storm in 2017.

For Mame Latyr Fall, coordinator of the Civil Forum of Saint-Louis, a decision must be made by the authorities before the people themselves unbolt the statue: "  The death of George Floyd serves as a catalyst for this question be put back on the table. Why not organize a local referendum on this issue?  "

A position that does not endorse Elhadj Tall, former journalist and active citizen in Saint-Louis: "  There are things, however, that we should not touch! We have a history which links us with France and which dates back over 300 years. This story, however, must be told to our children and our grandchildren!  "

The debate has already been resumed politically. A candidate for mayor of Saint-Louis has promised to remove this statue if he is elected.

 ► Read also : Lee, Colbert, Faidherbe and the others ... what to do with the statues of the slavers? 

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