Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / NewStats: 3,150,656 members, 7,809,482 topics. Date: Friday, 26 April 2024 at 10:24 AM |
Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Culture / Coup In Burkina Faso (850 Views)
We Oppose "Palace Coup" In Idumuje Ugboko - Prince Eziashi / Historical Facts Behind Idumuje Ugboko Palace Coup / Why Are Many Yoruba In Burkina Aso? (2) (3) (4)
(1) (Reply)
Coup In Burkina Faso by GODWINGODSON(m): 8:46pm On Sep 20, 2015 |
Burkina Faso's interim President Michel
Kafando has been freed and is in good
health, the new junta leaders say.
However, Prime Minister Isaac Zida, who was
also detained when the presidential guard
stormed a cabinet meeting on Wednesday,
remains under house arrest.
The African Union has suspended Burkina Faso
and threatened sanctions unless the junta
releases all interim political figures from
detention.
The US and France have also condemned the
coup in the former French colony.
The coup leaders have agreed to the "principle
of dialogue", as two West African leaders
arrived in the country to mediate in the crisis.
At least three people have died in protests in
the capital, Ouagadougou, after an ally of ex-
President Blaise Compaore was named leader
on Thursday.
Africa Live: Burkina Faso coup updates
The influential Balai Citoyen civil society group
has put the number of people who have died in
demonstrations against the presidential guard
(RSP) , at 10.
An unknown number of protesters have also
been detained.
Why presidential guards stage coups
What is behind the coup?
The coup in pictures
The BBC's Laeila Adjovi in Ouagadougou says
demonstrators gathered around the airport for
the arrival of a delegation from the regional
body, the Economic Community of West African
States (Ecowas).
The delegation was led by Senegal's President
Macky Sall, the current Ecowas chair, and
Benin's leader Thomas Boni Yayi.
Ahead of their arrival, the air and land borders
were officially re-opened.
Security forces again fired in the air on Friday
to disperse to demonstrators who burned tyres
and blocked streets in the city, our reporter
says.
Elections were due to be held in the West
African nation on 11 October, nearly a year
after a popular uprising forced Mr Compaore,
the long-time ruler of the West African
country, from power.
'Easing tensions'
Coup leader Gen Gilbert Diendere, who was Mr
Compaore's former chief-of-staff, told
reporters that Mr Kafando was now in his
official residence.
He was reportedly freed on Thursday but has
not yet been seen in public.
Two other minister have also been released,
the coup leaders say.
The decision to free them was made "as a sign
of easing tensions and in the general interest",
a statement read on national television said.
Prime Minister Zida was the army officer who
took charge after Mr Compaore was ousted.
The lieutenant colonel was number two in the
RSP, where he may still hold influence, which
explains his continued detention, says BBC
Afrique's Lamine Konkobo.
Analysis: Thomas Fessy, BBC West Africa
correspondent
The elite presidential guard has been trained,
in part, by the US. It is the most powerful
armed group in Burkina Faso and often
disrupted the activities of the transitional
government as it tried to cling to the privileges
it enjoyed under Mr Compaore's rule.
It is seen to be close to him, and is not popular
on the streets. So its seizure of power could be
a recipe for serious violence.
The transitional government might have made
two mistakes - preventing politicians loyal to
Mr Compaore from running in next month's
elections and allowing the Reconciliation
Commission, formed to heal wounds after the
end of his authoritarian rule, to release a
report calling for the presidential guard to be
disbanded.
Some argue that a newly elected president
would have had greater legitimacy to take such
action.
Mr Compaore is currently in exile and was
accused of committing widespread abuses, and
trying to change the constitution to extend his
term in office.
Some of his key allies had been barred from
contesting the election.
Gen Diendere has said he has had no contact
with Mr Compaore and will do everything to
"avoid violence that could plunge the country
into chaos".
An earlier announcement on state television
said wide-ranging talks would be held to form a
new interim government that would organise
"peaceful and inclusive elections".
Transitional parliamentary speaker Cheriff Sy
called for people to "immediately rise up"
against the coup, and declared himself the
leader.
The coup was announced on the day that a
judge was due to give the results of DNA tests
on the remains of former President Thomas
Sankara, his widow Mariam Sankara told the
BBC.
Her husband was killed in a 1987 coup that saw
Mr Compaore and fellow officers such as his
close friend Gen Diendere take power.
The family want to know the exact
circumstances of his death, which have always
been shrouded in mystery.
Seven things about Burkina Faso:
It is one of the world's poorest countries - its
main export is cotton
A former French colony, it gained
independence as Upper Volta in 1960
Capt Thomas Sankara seized power in 1983
and adopted radical left-wing policies - he is
often referred to as "Africa's Che Guevara"
The anti-imperialist revolutionary renamed
the country Burkina Faso, which translates as
"land of honest men"
Mr Compaore took power in the coup that
killed Mr Sankara, and ruled for 27 years,
until he was ousted last year following street
protests
People in Burkina Faso, known as Burkinabes,
love riding motor scooters
It is renowned for its pan-African film festival,
Fespaco, held every two years in
Ouagadougou www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34288932
|
(1) (Reply)
Hilarious Pic.when you wake up and see yam in your mouth / Making So Much Fuss About Eze Ndi Igbo / .
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 19 |