St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-09-16
Afriean
Pres. TuIks To
AMP NeWSmon
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NSVuthAuCu AEOn 0&o
so or more years had grouped the
states of West Africa in a fedora
ton which was called French
West Africa" The capital Of this
federation was Dakar and it was
an entity with political, economic
and cultural bonds.
But in 1857, under the popular
pressure, the Administration - or
more exactly the French govern
ment-was led to have adopted by
the French parliament a law which
accorded semi-autonomy to these
states. But instead of keeping the
political, economic and cultural
bonds between these states, parlia-
ment broke the bonds and each
state became a semi-autonomous
state.
The Federation was thus broken.
And that, in my opinion, results
from the fact that the colonial
regime of the French did not wish
whatsoever one state grouping to-
gether all the former territories of
French West Africa. This was fid-
city to an old colonial tradition
divide in order to rule.
Whereas, formerly conflicts be-
tween the states were resolved by
the Great Council, with the disrup-
ton of the federation France be-
came the arbitrator.
Autonomy, after the September,
1858 referendum, aggravated the
situation. Two current schools of
the thought were in evidence.
The first school of thought was
favorable to the regrouping of the
states.
This tendency was held by sene-
gal, Soudan and some of the polit-
ical organizations of other states.
AS for the second camp, it was
for permanent autonomy and
against the regrouping of the
states into federation.
This camp was led by the Ivory
Coast, to which Dahomey, Niger
and Upper Volta lent their con-
currence.
But the French authorities sup
ported the second camp. This ex-
plains all the difficulties that the
federation had to overcome in its
evolution.
That also indicates the reason
for which the Federation of Mali,
which consisted, in addition to
Senegal and Soudan, of Dahomey
and Upper Volta, was reduced to
actually two states under the pres
sure of the Ivory Coast and the
French leaders.
But in spite of this opposition
of France and the Ivory Coast,
Mali was able to acquire its indie
pendence.
The other states who were hos
tile to independence and who
fought against our friends in their
own territory, have also been OBJ
iged to go toward independence.
Therefore, the events have forced
them to go for independence. It is
possible that other events may
oblge them later to regroup.
Ex-French West Africa in the
months to come is going to ex-
perience many perturbing situa-
tons. These difficulties shall have
various sources:
First, economic, because of isola-
| ZION. Inese are states whose re-
sources do not fill half of their
needs. 1t will be necessary to i'm
pose sacrifices, new burdens upon
all levels Of the population.
Certain levels of this population
such as the farming group, has al
ready reached the maximum of its
capacity to contribute. A some
times rather "demagogish" cam
paign was made to convince this
farmer group that an improve
ment, however slight, of their sit
uation, could be expected.
The second source of difficulty
would be political because certain
states Of former French West Al
RIGA have a strong opposition which
has not the possibility Of express
ing itself because Of the arbitrary
laws which have been imposed