Bernard Arcens (born 1896 or 1897) was a Senegalese merchant, community leader, and humanitarian administrator. He was the chair of the Casamance Regional Committee of the Senegal Red Cross, and the winner of the 1968 Nansen Refugee Award.
Early life Arcens was born in the Casamance Regional,ATTRIBUTION DE LA MEDAILLE NANSEN, International Association, Brussels, 21st edition 1969 p149 https://cdn.cocodoc.com/cocodoc-form-pdf/pdf/297458962--INTERNATIONAL-ASSOCIATIONS-1969-3-21e-ANNEE-MARS-ditorial-21st-YEAR-MARCH-ASSOCIATIONS-INTERNATIONALES-sommaire-contents-EDITORIAL-uia-.pdf in 1896 or 1897.Chartrand, P., Chartrand, R., Holborn, L. W. (1975). Refugees, a Problem of Our Time: The Work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 1951-1972. United States: Scarecrow Press. p1425
Career Arcens was the president of the Ziguinchor chamber of commerce and a merchant in 1914. He tried to persuade French colonialists to let Ziguinchor's residents grow rice, as per their needs and wishes, but was pressured by the French to comply with their demands that Senegalese people grew peanuts to satisfy France's domestic needs.
In 1963, Arcens was chair of the Casamance Regional Committee of the Senegal Red Cross, and also the president of the Senegal Diocesan Catholic Aid.Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 24th General Assembly, 1969. When refugees from Portuguese Guinea started arriving in Casamance, Arcens lead the Red Cross' relief efforts. For his work supporting refugees, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan awarded Arcens the Nansen Refugee Award on October the 10th 1968.
Personal life Arcens became blind in 1937 at the age of 40 years, although it did not stop his work.
He spoke the French and the Casamance Kriul language.AFRICAN LANGUAGE INFLUENCES IN CREOLES LEXICALLY BASED ON PORTUGUESE, ENGLISH AND FRENCH, with Special Reference to Casamance Kriul, Gambian Krio and St. Lucian Patwa, Morgan Dalphinis, 1980, https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/28601/1/10672760.pdf
See also
French conquest of Senegal History of Senegal
References
External links
Photo, UNHCR