The funeral of Franco-Guinean Nadine Bari is taking place today in Saint-Denis, Reunion Island, where she spent the later years of her life and passed away on December 10 at the age of 83.
An author and tireless human rights activist, Bari dedicated her life to advocating for the rehabilitation of not only her husband but all victims of repression under Sékou Touré’s regime, the first president of independent Guinea, especially those of the Boiro camp. Her legacy continues to inspire generations of Guineans who have succeeded her in this ongoing battle, despite political challenges.
Nadine Bari’s father was assassinated by Sékou Touré’s political police. Abdoulaye Conté, now leading the Association of Victims of the Boiro Camp, reflects on her tenacity: “Her fight was a genuine one that inspired us all in Guinea. Throughout her life, she fought incredibly to rehabilitate her husband and, along with him, all those who were unjustly executed in Guinea. Today, there is an attempt to rehabilitate the ones who committed these crimes, not the victims. Any collaboration we attempt is systematically refused, but regardless, our fight will continue.”
The Guinean association collects testimonies and now geolocates mass graves, contributing to a vital memory project. Nadine Bari deemed this work essential, as recounted by her friend Safiatou Diallo, a historian and director of the International Research and Documentation Center in Conakry: “After Sékou Touré’s death, she hoped a lot that things would change, that there would be a commission of inquiry to establish the truth and deliver justice. For her, forgiveness can only come with truth and justice.”