On behalf of Spain's Pan-Africanist Federation
Obituary: Tcham Bissa, an African revolutionary in Spain
The Pan-Africanist Federation of Spain's Black Communities is sad to announce the death of Tcham Bissa Nankofe, its vice-president, leading representative in the Basque region and an indefatigable fighter for the cause of Africa's freedom.
Tcham Bissa died of a heart failure in the Basque city of Bilbao on October 19, 2007. He was 54 years old.
Born in Guinea-Bissau, Bissa grew up in Guinea-Conakry. He studied economics and commerce, obtaining his diploma from the Ben Aknun Institute in Algeria in 1974. From early on, he joined the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) to fight Portuguese colonialism. Bissa later recalled with pride how he had campaigned alongside the likes of Kwame Nkrumah, Sekou Toure, Kwame Toure and Amilcar Cabral. Portuguese persecution forced him to go into exile in Guinea-Conakry.
After Guinea-Bissau became independent in 1973, Bissa held technical posts in several government ministries and helped to set up agricultural and fisheries projects. He also studied trade unionism at Sofia University in Bulgaria, and was promoted to senior posts in his country, such as those of a chief of protocol in the finance ministry and senior official for international cooperation.
In 1995, Bissa arrived in Spain from Portugal. In Europe, he did not only lead the typical life of an immigrant, working at construction jobs. He also engaged himself in favour of the civil rights of immigrants, joining the Black Panther Movement in 1998.
Bissa helped to set up the Afrovasca, a Basque Pan-Africanist association, and its successors. He became the Basque leader for the current Pan-Africanist Federation and, after Spain's 2nd Pan-Africanist Congress in Madrid in 2005, its vice-president and one of its international representatives. He was also a member of the Spanish delegation to the African Union-African Diaspora in Europe Conference in Paris in September 2007. Bissa worked tirelessly to set up Europe's 1st Pan-Africanist Congress,(https://thevoiceforum.org/node/573) which was to bring 600 delegates to Bilbao, and the preparations of which were interrupted by his unexpected passing.
Tcham Bissa is mourned not only by his wife, five children and entire family, but by many of Spain's Africans, who will never forget his clarity of vision, optimism and resilience in the fight against oppression.
"Like the death of any African freedom fighter, that of Tcham is heavier than a mountain," says Abuy Nfubea, president of Spain's Pan-Africanist Federation. "The ancestors will welcome him and cherish him with more kindness than he received in this racist society. Thank you, Tcham, for leaving us the greatness of your spirit and for showing us that Africans did not come to this world to be defeated, but to win."
Tel. 34 - 696 374 330
For those wishing to make donations to a fund for the repatriation of Bissa's body and to help his family:
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Dear Sir, Madam,
We hereby send you an obituary for Tcham Bissa, vice-president of Spain's Pan-Africanist Federation of Black Communities, to be published at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Sinikka Kahl
SPAIN'S PAN-AFRICANIST FEDERATION ALERTS OF INCREASE OF RACISM - LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN https://thevoiceforum.org/node/637
The death of a Great Pan Africanist in Spain
https://thevoiceforum.org/node/623