Party of Independence and Labour
Party of Independence and Labour Parti de l'Indépendance et du Travail | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Maguette Thiam |
| Founded | 9 July 1981 |
| Preceded by | African Independence Party |
| Headquarters | Dakar |
| Ideology | Socialism Formerly: Communism |
| Political position | Left-wing |
The Party of Independence and Labour (
.History
PIT emerged from the Senegalese branch of the African Independence Party (PAI). At the time of the 1960 local elections, PAI was accused by the government of fomenting unrest following a series of incidents in Saint-Louis. PAI was banned and went underground. The general secretary, Majhmoud Diop, and Tidiane Baïdy Ly went into exile in Guinea.
In 1963 at the 23rd plenary session of the Central Committee of PAI a group of party cadres, including Babacar Niang and Tidiane Baïdy Ly, were expelled from the party, accused of "anti-party fractional activity, right-wing opportunist tendencies" (Momsarew, April 1964).
In the December 1, 1963 elections PAI joined the Senegalese Democracy and Unity bloc.
Whereas many young cadres of the clandestine PAI went to study at the
to receive training in guerrilla warfare. A group of 25 PAI guerillas entered eastern Senegal in 1965 trying to launch armed struggle against the government. The guerillas were, however, soon overrun captured and imprisoned.In 1965 PAI split, when Landing Savané left to form the pro-Chinese Senegalese Communist Party. This split led to the dismantling of the Dakar cell of PAI.
In 1966 Seydou Cissokho took over as general secretary. In 1967 a rectification campaign was initiated, strengthening the position of Cissokho.
During the period 1965-1968 PAI had a low profile. It worked in the Syndicat des Enseignants du Sénégal and the Association of Senegalese Workers in France (ATSF).
At the 1972 congress Majhmoud Diop, the former general secretary, was expelled. The party was now completely in the hands of Cissokho.
1972 to 1975 was in many ways a period of reconstruction of PAI. Its main publication, Momsarev, started appearing somewhat regularly. PAI went on to organize a students' movement,
In 1976 Majhmoud Diop and his followers regrouped. Effectively two separate parties worked with the name PAI, PAI-Sénégal (led by Cissokho, technically the original PAI) and
Soon PAI-Rénovation was accorded recognition by the state to the name PAI. In 1977 PAI-Sénégal appealed to the president to substitute PAI-Rénovation for itself as the legal left.
PAI-Sénégal called for a boycott of the 1978 elections.
In 1979 PIT formed a new youth wing, Democratic Youth Union Alboury Ndiaye (Union de la Jeunesse Démocratique Alboury Ndiaye).
PAI-Sénégal later registered itself with the authorities as PIT on July 9, 1981.
In March 1999, the PIT and two other left-wing parties,
In the
For the 2007 presidential and parliamentary elections, PIT joined the Coalition Alternative 2007. The coalition backed
PIT publishes Daan Doole (The Worker) and Gestu.
References
- ^ "Senegal: Left opposition parties rally behind single presidential candidate", Africa No 1 radio, March 23, 1999.
- ^ "Senegalese opposition leader heads new coalition"[permanent dead link], African Press Agency, December 22, 2006.
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