FRANCE AND THE PARTI DEMOCRATIOIJE PF QUINEE Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Oriental and African Studies University of London Christine A* Rams is London 24 July 1993 1 ProQuest Number: 10672828 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10672828 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ABSTRACT The thesis traces post-war political development in Guinea leading to the independence of the territory in 1958. The particular focus is on the history of the Parti D&mocratigue da Gui.n£e (PDG) , chapter party of the interterritorial federal movement the Rassemblement Democratique Africainr and its relations with the French colonial government. Founded in 1946, the KDA was initially suppressed by the French administration due to its affiliation with the Communist Party. Although the FDA severed its ties with the Communists in 1950, in Guinea the PDG suffered from enduring suspicion because of its links with the Communist-dominated French trade union movement. Finally in 1955 the PDG and union leader S6kou Tourd formally announced the party's disaffilia­ tion from the Communists and his intention to create an autonomous African trade union. Subsequently the local authorities ceased the repression of the PDG and Toure was elected deputy to the National Assembly in Paris. Reforms introduced in French West Africa under the 1956 Loi-Cadre increasingly accorded territorial administration to elected African bodies. In 1957 the PDG swept local elections and gained control of the Territorial Assembly, municipal communes., and town councils in Guinea. Henceforth the PDG effectively governed the territory, wiping out the opposition parties and abolishing the institution of the chieftaincy. In May 1958 General Charles de Gaulle was called back to power in France and proceeded to form the Fifth Republic. The new Constitution created the French-Afr ican Community and suppressed the former Federa­ tion of West Africa. Despite repeated warnings of the consequences of "secession," Guinea was the sole territory to reject the Constitutional referendum of 28 September 1958, opting for immediate independence. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am indebted to numerous people and institutions which helped me conplete this thesis. Most of all I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Donal B. Cruise O'Brien for his continuous support and encouragement in seeing me through the numerous difficulties I encountered while undertaking this project. Not only are his patience and guidance genuinely appreciated, but his insight and profound understanding of the politics of French West Africa are greatly respected and admired. The major research for this thesis was conducted in Paris, Aix-en- Provence, and Dakar. In Paris I am very grateful to Claude G&rard who, apart from relating her vast experience with former African parliamen­ tarians, has faithfully collected and maintained archives of the RaasfiiTblfiTDent Democratique Africain. The documents she graciously gave me access to have no doubt contributed to a better balance between French and African interpretations of events covered in this work. I am also thankful to her staff at the Centre de. Recherche e±_ de. Documentation Africaine for their assistance, friendship, and for putting me in contact with many scholars and politicans with knowledge of my subject matter. In particular Andr6 Bianchet and Bruno Georges Daoudal were very helpful in recalling events and sharing their opinions with me. The entire staff at the French National Archives— Overseas Section in Aix-en-Provence were very kind; I truly appreciated their smiles in spite of the massive amount of work I bestowed upon them. I'd also like to thank the Director of the French archives, Jean-Frangois Maurel, for granting me permission to look again into several files after they had been sealed and rendered incommunicado for another thirty 3 years. Likewise I am deeply indebted to Makane Fall of the National Archives in Senegal for his gracious hospitality, as well as invaluable help in considerably speeding up my research in Dakar. For their conpanionship through long hours in the archives, and thought-provoking conversations about Guinea, I am happy to acknowledge Bernard Charles and Barry Ismael. Finally, I am forever indebted to my family for backing me during every step of this long endeavour. The initial inspiration to write a thesis came from my father; the love and encouragement of my parents and brother kept me going through the difficult times. The completion of this work would not have been possible without the tremendous assistance of my husband Sharief. His constant support, saintly patience, and unfailing devotion have been the source of the strength I needed to finish what I started, and therefore this thesis is dedicated to Sharief. 4 TABLE OP CONTENTS Page. TITLE* .............................. .1 ABSTRACT................................................ 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............... ................................ 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................. 5 LIST OF TABLES.................................................... 7 LIST OF FIGURES................................................... 7 LIST OF MAPS...................................................... 7 ABBREVIATIONS..................................................... 8 INTRODUCTION...................................................... 9 MAPS........ 15 CHAPTER Is Historic and Colonial Setting............................ 17 Peaceful Penetration in Coastal and Middle Guinea............... 19 Conquest and Pacification in Upper Guinea andForest Region...... 24 The Colonial Impetus......................................... 28 Methodology in Theory and Practice............................ 31 Territorial Administration. ....... 34 Chiefs in the Colonial System................................. 38 Obligations of Colonial Subjects.............................. 45 Military Conscription and the War Effort....................... 47 CHAPTER IIs Post-War Reforms and the Emergence of Political Parties...52 The First Constitutional Assembly............................. 54 The Second Constitutional Assembly............ 60 Organs of the Fourth Republic and Overseas Representation........ 64 Political and Trade Union Development in French West Africa......69 Political Associations and Elections in Guinea................. 75 The Bamako Congress and Birth of the RDA....................... 83 Formation of the Guinean Section of the RDA....... 90 CHAPTER Ills Opposition and Repression of the RDA..................... 96 Strengthening Ties with the Communist Party.................... 102 The Ongoing Crisis in Guinea................................. 109 The Growing Impact of Trade Unions........................... 119 Surviving under Siege and the First KDA-Guinea Party Congress...122 CHAPTER IV: Tactical Retreat and Reconciliation Under Threat of Dissolution........................................ 127 Incidents Engulfing the RDA........... 127 The Proposed Dissolution of the RDA................. 132 Negotiations in Progress.................................... 135 Le. Dfefiapparentement.......................................... 138 Overseas Reaction........................................... 143 Reconciliation: Success and Failure.......................... 149 5 CHAPTER Vs Reluctant Conformity in Guinea......................... 154 National Assembly Elections, June 1951....................... 157 Enduring Skepticism......................................... 165 Belated Recognition of D&sapparentement. and Pan-African Labour Conference, 1951...................................168 Organised Protest and Territorial Elections................... 175 Trade Union Activity: The Code dn Travail.......... .......... 180 Silent Transfer of PDG Leadership........................ .....182 CHAPTER VI; The Struggle for Power.............................. ..186 Triumphant Trade Unionism................................... 188 Guinean Politics Redefined...... .193 The PDG Takeover....................................... 199 Incidents .... 204 Negotiations and Appeal for Calm............................. 208 The RDA Coordinating Committee Meets in Conakry...... ...211 Rival Congresses in Conakry............................ 217 Recurrent Violence.......................................... 219 CHAPTER VII: PDG Supremacy....................................... 227 National Assembly Elections, January 1956..................... 228 Trade Union Autonomy.............................. 235 The Lni-Carire............... 239 Violent Intimidation........................................ 245 Municipal Elections, November 1956...... 252 The Opposition Unites..... ,................................ 256 PDG Second Territorial Conference.................. ....259 Territorial Assembly Elections, March 1957.................... 262 CHAPTER VIII: The Abolition of the Chieftaincy..................... 270 The Erosion of Traditional