Pya-Hodo Massacre
| Pya-Hodo massacre | |
|---|---|
| Location | French Colonial Army |
Pya-Hodo Massacre (French: Le massacre de Pya-Hodo) in Togo refers to a massacre that took place on June 21, 1957. On that day, a UN delegation visited the country, in Pya-Hodo (in Kozah). The population took advantage of the visit of the United Nations mission, led by Charles T. O. King, Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations, to express its frustration with the French colonial administration in Togo which was imposed on the country.[1]
Faced with the anger of the demonstrators, protesting against the arrest of the Togolese nationalist,
The separatists opposed the application of the framework law of June 23, 1956 known as the “Loi-cadre Defferre”. Togo was not a colony but a territory entrusted by the UN to France. After this tragedy, it was forced to organize elections under the supervision of UN emissaries. However, independence was not obtained until April 27, 1960.[4]
Memory
The commemoration takes place every year, on June 21, but this Martyrs' Day, a public holiday and a day off, only dates from 2021. It commemorates all the dead of the struggle for independence, not only the victims of the Pya-Hodo massacre. In this locality of Kabiyè country a white marble stele was erected. It is written there: “They died so that Togo may live”.
References
- ^ Massacres committed in Africa during colonial times, retrieved on 04-12-2023
- ISBN 9782811133443. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
- ^ « Le massacre de Pya-Hodo en pays kabiyè (Nord-Togo), 60 ans après. Les leçons d’un passé qui ne passe pas ! », retrieved on 04-12-2023
- ^ 21 juin : les Togolais célèbrent les martyrs de la lutte pour l’indépendance, retrieved on 04-12-2023
