Di pipo for Chad don join hand wit dia govment as dem dey rethink dia relationship wit dia former colonial master, France. Dis one dey remind dem of di wahala wey colonial powers cause more than 100 years ago.
Some kain wound no dey heal, dem go just dey pain like di injustice wey don happen for di past. For Chad, di memory of wetin France do dem during colonial time still dey fresh for dia mind. One of di worst na di massacre wey dem call 'Coupe-Coupe' wey happen for di town of Abeche on November 15, 1917.
“Chad na our own, France commot!” Na wetin di pipo dey shout for di country, as dem dey vex say France military presence for Africa don reduce well-well. On November 29, Chad Ministry of Foreign Affairs announce say dem don cancel di security and defense agreement wey dem get wit France. Dis one happen di same time wey French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visit Chad President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno.
France reply di cancellation wit caution, as dem still dey claim say dem get di right to protect dia interest for Chad. But di matter no end dia, as protest against France military presence start for di country on December 5. Di protest spread reach big cities like N'Djamena and Abeche.
Just ten days before di protest, one Friday sermon for Abeche don already ginger di anti-France feelings wey dey grow for di country. On December 6, di pipo gather for prayer and remember di pain wey di Coupe-Coupe massacre cause dem 107 years ago.
Di Coupe-Coupe massacre na one big scar for di history of Chad. Kamal Koulamallah, wey be journalist and writer for Chad media Le N'djam Post, describe di massacre as 'one stain wey no fit commot for Chad history.' E talk say di brutal killing wey happen dat time still dey pain di pipo till today.
France begin dia colonial wahala for Africa during di 19th century, and Chad na one of di countries wey dem target. Before di colonialists enter, three local sultanates dey rule Chad: Wadai, Bagirmi, and Kanem. Di sultanates fight di French for many years, and dem even get good relationship wit di Ottoman Empire.
Di French first enter Chad for 1899 and dem establish dia control for N'Djamena, wey dem call 'Fort-Lamy.' Later, dem try expand dia control go places like Abeche, Wadai, Borkou, and Ennedi. But di local pipo no gree, dem fight back well-well.
Di Coupe-Coupe massacre na di French way to silence di resistance. Dem invite di community leaders for Abeche for 1917 under di pretense say dem wan discuss governance matters. But instead, dem ambush and kill hundreds of Muslim scholars. Di massacre no just stop for Abeche; similar killings happen for Wara and Kanem.
Di French soldiers even burn books and manuscripts, destroy libraries, and carry di cultural heritage of Chad go France. Dis kain action scatter di spiritual and cultural foundation of di pipo.
Even after di massacre, di pipo of Chad no gree surrender. Dem continue dia resistance until di 1930s. Finally, Chad gain independence from France on August 11, 1960. But di memory of di Coupe-Coupe massacre still dey pain dem till today.
Di pipo dey vex say France never apologize for wetin dem do. Some intellectuals dey even talk say make dem carry di matter go International Court. Di mass grave for Um Kamil for Abeche don turn to memorial wey dey remind di pipo of dia fight for freedom.
Di Coupe-Coupe massacre don become one point wey dey unite di pipo of Chad against France. Di recent decision to cancel di security agreement wit France don get plenty support from di pipo. Even di small group wey no talk anything no fit change di general agreement wey dey ground.
Last month, for di anniversary of di Coupe-Coupe massacre, di pipo of Chad vow say dem no go ever forget wetin France do dem. 'France commot!' na di loudest voice wey dem dey shout as dem dey look forward to di future.
