Party of Independence and Labour

The Party of Independence and Labour (Parti de l'Indépendance et du Travail) is a socialist and former communist political party in Senegal. For years it was led by Amath Dansokho.

PIT emerged from the Senegalese branch of the African Independence Party (PAI). At the time of the 1960 local elections, PAI was accused by the government of fomenting unrest following a series of incidents in Saint-Louis. PAI was banned and went underground. The general secretary, Majhmoud Diop, and Tidiane Baïdy Ly went into exile in Guinea.

In 1963 at the 23rd plenary session of the Central Committee of PAI a group of party cadres, including Babacar Niang and Tidiane Baïdy Ly, were expelled from the party, accused of "anti-party fractional activity, right-wing opportunist tendencies" (Momsarew, April 1964).

In the December 1, 1963 elections PAI joined the Senegalese Democracy and Unity bloc.

Whereas many young cadres of the clandestine PAI went to study at the Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow, one section were sent to Cuba to receive training in guerrilla warfare. A group of 25 PAI guerillas entered eastern Senegal in 1965 trying to launch armed struggle against the government. The guerillas were, however, soon overrun captured and imprisoned.

In 1965 PAI split, when Landing Savané left to form the pro-Chinese Senegalese Communist Party. This split led to the dismantling of the Dakar cell of PAI.

In 1966 Seydou Cissokho took over as general secretary. In 1967 a rectification campaign was initiated, strengthening the position of Cissokho.

During the period 1965-1968 PAI had a low profile. It worked in the Syndicat des Enseignants du Sénégal and the Association of Senegalese Workers in France (ATSF).

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