François Mitterrand on Cabral’s assassination “a murdered militant”

“With dying young, the hero is strangely close. By no means another
seduce her. His life goes up. It rises ever higher and advances on
A constantly different constellation of its constant danger. There, few know
You find. But fate, darkness over us and silence, is suddenly with him
He gets excited and sings it as he takes it into the heart of his world’s hurricane
in a fit of rage.” Rilke, Duino Elegies (Epitaph VI).

Mrs Sonia Rabhi, Deputy Mayor of Saint-Denis (93 years old), thank you and let me do
Congratulations, on a short and excellent resume of Cabral. In a few words, in the precision economy, you’ve traced its lifeblood. And your remark, powerfully said, is poignant while you didn’t know it. But one of Cabral’s distinguishing features is the interest and transmission of even those who did not know him. What about those who knew him?

In this feature which is an attraction, we find one of the main reasons behind it
The writings, their practice and their battles continue to generate useful debates.

I was eight (8) years old when I first met him. It was in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). At the time, my parents’ home served as a transit and/or residence for freedom fighters from PAIGC, MPLA, FRELIMO, MLSTP, etc. Agostino Neto will come there at least twice. The father’s residence was also where Cabral held his talks with the Cabo Verdean diaspora.

Anyone who has seen Cabral, unless he lacks reason, will be amazed by his personality. tag him
A very deep era, to explain it, we created the theme and theme (very little thought out) of Gil Cabral through which we count the great names of the anti-colonial struggle: of course, Agostino Neto and Mario de Andrade, Ferriato Cruz; Obviously, Aristides Pereira, Luis Cabral, Pedro Perez, Abilio Duarte, etc. Chicco T, Turbine, Nino, etc.

But also Mondlane and many others that it would take too long to mention here. The entire black anti-Zalazar Portuguese-speaking elite rallied behind him. It was like I saw them. The Armed Forces Movement, which toppled the Portuguese dictatorship on April 25, 1974, will recognize what it owes to Amílcar Cabral.

Fidel Castro would call it “his best.” Friend.” Houphouët-Boigny will take up his cause …

I must admit that there was not much significance in strengthening interest until later, after him
Death, as a philosopher, I will give the dialectics of Hegel and Marx. my passion for
Cabral’s new studies also credit this fact.

I’ve written a lot trying to illustrate his practice but above all to pli-quer (verb-
stands out from the folds) of his theory, unprecedented in the history of ideas: man, much more than a rational animal (Aristotle) ​​was first and foremost a cultural animal. This place it occupies in world history has not yet been highlighted. It even eluded him in some ways. Or at least he could not formulate it philosophically (in the technical and strict sense of the word).

So let us remember that his basic idea is that man is, in essence, a product of culture. He himself, we need to repeat, was a cultured man. Senghor would say of him that he is a “true friend”, which Mario de Andrade assured me. But, more than that, the chief poet maintained that Amilcar was even one of the rare Africans (of his time) with whom he could converse on equal terms in matters of knowledge and culture. Indeed, Amilcar had read a lot. Among his readings are works by Tsun Zhou, Montessori, Engels, Dostoevsky, Lenin, Senghor, Cesaire, Cheikh Anta Diop, Nkrumah and many other great authors. However, his readings always had a pragmatic goal: arming himself theoretically to “change reality”, through a continuous understanding of the mechanisms of domination and exploitation of man by man. Fidel Castro would classify him as his “best friend”. Houphouët-Boigny will take up his case. Che Guevara held him in high esteem. It was even said that Charles de Gaulle was going to Le Bourget (the airport) to meet him. We can multiply this type of certification in abundance. Everyone held him in high esteem.

Historical eulogy for Mitterrand, on the announcement of his assassination

But, among all this and more than any other testimony, the testimony stands out, gleaming, in wind and fury, like a solemn pronouncement contrary to the agreed trivialities; which the hagiography overlooks, shines brilliantly in itself, not only by the intensity and level of culture of its author, by the quality of language of unparalleled liveliness and splendid presentation, but also and above all, by that, in the manner (style) of Plutarch in Parallel Lives This testimonial remains a remarkable and extraordinary synthesis of Cabral’s life, of his ideal, and of the enthusiasm he aroused among the great men who encountered him: the historic eulogy of Mitterrand, on the announcement of his assassination.
In fact, in the aftermath of this tragedy, immediately after the event, Mitterrand writes an article about controlled anger that will appear on January 22, 1973. He lost the world, Portugal, and himself: “Cabral, in turn, writes Mitterrand. I learned of his death, he was assassinated on
threshold in Conakry. Sekou Toure accuses Portugal. Cayetano does not
stampede. I have no items to judge. I only know that Cabral is
He died, like many who fought for the same cause before him. Who killed Felix Maumey? He had dined in Geneva with a French secret service agent.
After the meal, he rolled on the floor, writhing in pain, his stomach tearing before
Hidden poison, and his death took a few hours. The investigation was unsuccessful.
A victim, but not a killer, of course. Who killed General Delgado,
Who found his decomposing body in the hollow of a fold in the ground near
Portuguese border? Who killed Eduardo Mondlane, one of the leaders
Rebellions in Mozambique, in Dar es Salaam, were torn apart by expulsion
trap ?

Amilcar Cabral was my friend. Although he was forbidden to remain in France, V.I
Undoubtedly requested by the Portuguese government, I had invited him to spend a little
days at my place for the upcoming Easter holidays. He happily accepted
He loved our country very much, the language he spoke so kindly. during my
Our last trip to Guinea, we hardly left each other
He told me about his struggles and hopes. He told me that his comrades held
Two-thirds of the territory of Guinea-Bissau, where elections were held last year
finally and the assembly was established, while the provisional executive power was to be established
To be named soon. Portuguese forces no longer entered the regions
released. The liberation movement had schools and hospitals in the jungle
campaign and administrative structures.

You must have heard of Amilcar Cabral. Softness of speech married ingenuity
Of the thought that remained available about this fixed point: freedom, that
Invade. Portugal loses with him the most sensitive opponent, the best
Practice their values. He targeted the folly well, which lends horror to this crime
Extra”.

This hagiography will, without a doubt, remain one of the most beautiful, through its powerful acoustic architecture. One of the most powerful combinations it develops; One of the most accomplished in relation to the role of “foolishness” and the function of “crime” in the internal course of events in world history; One of the most striking memoirs ever written on the assassination of Cabral and, exceptionally, a sign of a strong friendship born spontaneously, especially since, as everyone knows, it is rare for Mitterrand to call himself a “friend”.
This living memory of Mitterrand is unknown, and few comment on it. She testifies that this assassination will dramatically change the course of history.

Also, now and here, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of this heinous and stupid assassination, in memory of Cabral, may we in this place of gratitude 4 be allowed to formulate and organize a proposal to the commune and the commune of Saint-Denis: to affix, below or next to a street sign personalized with the name of Amílcar Cabral, a banner reproduce text Francois Mitterrand ; It is hoped that this initiative will extend to all the streets, squares and avenues that in France bear the name of one of the brightest minds of the twentieth century: Cabral!

Our sincere thanks to the elected members of the municipal majority for their attendance and for their attendance
The proposal was approved immediately, before it was approved by the Municipal Council. Mr. Bakar Koita from the Embassy of Guinea-Bissau, Nathalie Gomes, President of the Miranari Association and I will organize this application.

Doctor. Pierre Franklin Tavares

Saint-Denis. January 20, 2023