Burkina Faso’s Ousted Ex-President Compaore Returns for Summit | World News
Burkina Faso’s Ousted Ex-President Compaore Returns for Summit | World News
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – Burkina Faso’s ex-president Blaise Compaore returned from exile on Thursday, almost eight years after he was toppled in an uprising, to take part in a meeting with interim president Paul-Henri Damiba and other former leaders.
Compaore, 71, has returned to the West African country despite being convicted in absentia in April to life in prison for complicity in his…
Burkina Faso ex-leader Compaoré gets life sentence over Sankara
Burkina Faso ex-leader Compaoré gets life sentence over Sankara
The long-awaited verdict brings to close a six-month trial of Sankara who was assassinated on October 15, 1987.
A Ouagadougou court has sentenced former Burkinabe president Blaise Compaoré to life imprisonment for the murder of the revered Thomas Sankara. The long-awaited verdict brings to close a six-month trial of Sankara who was assassinated on October 15, 1987. Military prosecutors had…
Burkinabe prosecutors seek 30 years for Compaore in murder trial
Burkinabe prosecutors seek 30 years for Compaore in murder trial
Ex-president Blaise Compaore is accused of being the main sponsor behind the killing of his predecessor, Thomas Sankara.
Military prosecutors in Burkina Faso have requested 30 years in jail for former President Blaise Compaore over the 1987 murder of his predecessor, Thomas Sankara. The court was asked on Monday to find him guilty in absentia of an “attack on state security”, “concealment of a…
Burkina Faso Coup leaders announced on Friday 18th September that they had released the country’s interim president Michel Kafando whom they detained along with the premier and two ministers.
As a sign of easing tensions and in the general interest, the national council for democracy has decided on the release of ministers and Michel Kafando
West watches as key ally against al-Qaeda flees after protests
Compaere steppd down un Frydee aft'r acoupla days o'mass protests agin his'n temps ta change t'constitushun ta extend his'n 27-year rule. Yesterdee, Compaere wuz confirmet as a'havin arrivet n’ neighbouryun’ Ivery Coas.
At leest three folk wuz killt aft'r protesters starmet Burkina Faso’s…
T’ hed o'Burkina Faso’s armet ferces took pow'r today aft'r Presdint Blaise Compaere resignet amid mass protests agin un attempt ta extend his'n 27-year rule.Mr Compaere, n’ offus since a 1987 militree coup, had souite ta defy popular preshure fer ‘im ta step down, aft'r a day o'violent unrest u…
UPDATE 2-Burkina military leader pledges to step aside as world watches
* Long-time president quit last week amid mass protests
* Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana leaders to travel to Burkina* Interim military leader pledges to hand power to civilians* France confirms that it helped Compaore to flee
(Adds quotes from French and Ivorian Presidents, U.N. comment)By Mathieu Bonkoungou and Nadoun CoulibalyOUAGADOUGOU, Nov 4 (Reuters) – Burkina Faso’s new military
ruler has pledged to hand power to a civilian transitional
government, an influential tribal ruler said on Tuesday, a day
before three West African leaders were due in Ouagadougou to
press the army to relinquish power.The military appointed Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida, deputy
commander of the elite presidential guard, as provisional head
of state on Saturday. The day before, long-time president Blaise
Compaore had stepped down and with the help of France fled to
neighbouring Ivory Coast.Compaore resigned as leader of the impoverished West African
country on Friday following two days of mass protests sparked by
his bid to extend his 27-year rule by amending the constitution.In the chaos that followed, the army’s move to take control
of the transition drew criticism from opposition politicians and
international partners.Zida said on Monday he would quickly transfer power to a
consensus government in line with Burkina Faso’s constitution.
On Tuesday, he met with the influential king of the country’s
majority Mossi ethnic group, Naba Baongo II, who said Zida had
pledged to step aside.”Lieutenant-Colonel Zida and his delegation came to say that
they want to hand power over to civilians and we encourage them
to move in this direction,” the traditional leader told
reporters. “The country must regain its peace and calm.”Zida also met with the head of the constitutional court,
which could guide talks on the establishment of a transitional
authority that would comply with the national charter.The African Union on Monday set a two-week deadline for the
army to leave power or face sanctions. It dispatched a senior
official to the capital, Ouagadougou, in a delegation that also
included the United Nations and regional bloc ECOWAS.Opposition leader Zepherin Diabre told journalists after
meeting the delegation that Senegalese President Macky Sall,
Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Ghana’s John Mahama, who holds
ECOWAS’s rotating presidency, would travel to Ouagadougou on
Wednesday.”We’re already working in the aim of respecting the
deadline,” Diabre said on Tuesday. “If we don’t manage, perhaps
(the African Union) will understand,” he added, suggesting the
opposition might accept an extension to the deadline.U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was greatly
concerned about the crisis in Burkina Faso and reiterated an
earlier call for a shift to civilian rule.FRENCH EVACUATIONThe streets of the capital were calm for a second straight
day as Burkinabes awaited the outcome of the various
consultations.”President Blaise is gone. I think we must unite for the
future of our country,” said Alphonse Ouadreogo, a local
merchant. “The soldiers must hand power over to civilians so we
can have a peaceful transition.”Robert Sangare, director general of the Yalgado Ouedraogo
hospital, said on Tuesday that at least seven people had died
and 180 were wounded since Thursday’s protests began.During the upheaval, Compaore fled to Ivory Coast and is
currently staying in the Ivorian city of Yamoussoukro.Francois Hollande, president of France, Burkina’s former
coloniser, confirmed that his country had helped Compaore flee
the country. “We did it … to avoid drama and other
convulsions,” he told reporters at a press conference in Quebec
City.France bases some of its special forces in the Burkina
capital and is the country’s main bilateral donor.Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara met with Compaore on
Tuesday and told reporters that he was welcome to remain in the
country “as long as he would like”. He added that Ivory Coast
supported a political transition that complied with Burkina
Faso’s constitution.Under that constitution, the head of the National Assembly
should take office if the president resigns, with a mandate to
organise elections within 90 days.
(Additional reporting by Ange Aboa and Mathias Drabo; Writing
by Joe Bavier and Emma Farge; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Larry
King)
UPDATE 5-Protests force out Burkina president, soldiers vie for power
* In statement, Compaore calls for election in 90 days
* Protesters frustrated after military chief claims power* General vows “process of return to constitutional order”* Lieutenant Colonel appears to challenge military chief
(Adds analyst comment, details, quotes)By Mathieu Bonkoungou and Joe PenneyOUAGADOUGOU, Oct 31 (Reuters) – Burkina Faso President
Blaise Compaore resigned on Friday amid mass street protests at
his attempts to extend his 27-year rule, plunging the West
African nation into uncertainty as junior officers vied with top
military brass for power.Compaore, a taciturn former soldier in office since a 1987
military coup, had sought to defy popular pressure for him to
step down after a day of violent unrest on Thursday in which
demonstrators burned parliament and ransacked state television.Impoverished Burkina Faso had emerged under Compaore as a
key mediator in the turbulent Sahel and his departure robs the
region of a wily elder statesman — though one often criticised
for his rights record and meddling in his neighbours’ affairs.The landlocked nation has become a key ally in Western
operations against al Qaeda-linked groups in West Africa and the
unfolding political crisis was being closely watched by the
United States and France, which has a special forces base there.Diplomats voiced concern after military chief General Honore
Traore’s announcement he was taking charge as head of state
appeared to be challenged by presidential guard commander
Lieutenant Colonel Issaac Zida, who announced his own set of
emergency measures and deployed troops on the streets.The demonstrations had erupted on Thursday when parliament
had been due to vote on plans to change the constitution to
allow 63-year-old Compaore to seek reelection next year. At
least three people were shot dead and dozens wounded.With hundreds of thousands packing the Place de la Nation in
the capital Ouagadougou for a second day on Friday, and with no
sign of international support — particularly from former
colonial power France — Compaore bowed to public pressure.”I believe that I have fulfilled my duty, my only concern
being the higher interest of the nation,” said a written
statement from Compaore read on national television, in which he
called for elections within 90 days.A heavily-armed convoy believed to be carrying the former
president was seen travelling towards the southern town of Po
near the border with Ghana, which is home to a large military
base, diplomatic sources and local media said.The departure of Compaore — until recently seen as one of
West Africa’s most invulnerable Big Men — will send ripples
across a region where a number of long-standing rulers are
nearing the end of their terms amid rumbling discontent.Crowds danced, cheered and blew whistles in Ouagadougou’s
dusty streets after Compaore’s statement was broadcast.”This is a sub-Saharan Spring and it must continue against
all the presidents who are trying to hang on to power in
Africa,” said law student Lucien Trinnou, referring to the Arab
Spring that toppled several long-term leaders.ANGER AS MILITARY CHIEF CLAIMS POWERJubilation turned to frustration, however, after General
Traore — a former military aide de campe of Compaore —
announced he was taking over the reins of power.Under Burkina Faso’s constitution, the head of the National
Assembly should take office if the president resigns but
parliament was dissolved by Traore on Thursday under short-lived
martial law, leaving a power vacuum into which he stepped.It was the seventh time that a military officer had taken
power since the country declared independence from France in
1960, when it was known as Upper Volta.”Considering the urgency of saving the nation, I have
decided to assume from today the responsibilities of head of
state,” said the bespectacled Traore, wearing military fatigues
and flanked by other officers.”I make a solemn pledge to proceed without delay to
consultations with all parties to start the process of returning
to the constitutional order as soon as possible.”There was no immediate reaction from the leaders of the
fragmented opposition but on the streets of Ouagadougou many
protesters rejected a man regarded as a figurehead of Compaore’s
regime. Traore was named military chief in the wake of a failed
2011 uprising in which soldiers took part, with a mission to
shake up the armed forces.Capitalising on the frustration among protesters, a group of
junior officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Zida — who commands
the army’s best trained and equipped force – quickly moved to
challenge Traore’s authority, announcing curfew measures and the
closure of borders.”Power belongs the valiant people of Burkina Faso. No one
can take this victory away from you. All the important decisions
will be taken here in the Place de la Revolution,” Zida told a
crowd of tens of thousands of people, using the old name for the
Place de la Nation that was changed by Compaore.”The army had to respond to the call of the people. It is
not seizing power like in a coup d’etat.”Before he spoke, trucks of soldiers left the military camp
beside the square. A member of Zida’s entourage said they were
taking up positions around the capital and the army’s top brass
had been instructed not to make further public statements.It was not immediately clear how France, which has more than
3,000 troops in the region, would react to any power struggle.
French President Francois Hollande, who had discreetly sought
ways to usher Compaore into an international role when his term
ended next year, earlier welcomed his resignation and called for
quick elections.A delegation from the African Union, the United Nations and
regional West African bloc ECOWAS was due in Burkina Faso on
Friday to hold talks with all sides, but with the airport closed
it was not clear if they arrived. ECOWAS said on Thursday it
would not accept any seizure of power by unconstitutional means.Diplomats said Compaore’s reluctance to leave power was
linked to a fear of prosecution on rights charges, following
cases against African leaders in recent years such as former
Liberian president Charles Taylor.Compaore is often blamed for the death of former president
Thomas Sankara — his friend and former patron — in his 1987
putsch. Sankara was a popular left-wing revolutionary, dubbed
“Africa’s Che Guevara”, who changed the name of the country to
Burkina Faso — meaning ‘Land of the Upright Men’.
(Additional reporting by Daniel Flynn, Emma Farge, David Lewis
and Bate Felix in Dakar, John Irish in Paris, Matt Bigg in Accra
and Joe Bavier in Abidjan; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Dominic Evans)
has ended, the country’s military announced Friday, after days of often violent protests triggered by his efforts to gain another term in office. The military didn’t say who was in power or the circumstances of Mr. Compaore’s departure from an office he has held since 1987. But the announcement that he was stepping aside, broadcast by Radio France International, triggered celebrations in the streets of the capital Ouagadougou. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Mr. Compaore had agreed to step down. His whereabouts weren’t known. Tens of thousands of protesters have swarmed the streets of the capital in recent days, demanding an immediate end to Mr. Compaore’s rule. The demonstrations were triggered by the 63-year-old leader’s request to parliament to allow him to seek a fifth term in office. The military’s announcement followed protests and riots Thursday during which government buildings in Ouagadougou were burned to the ground and businesses seen as pro-regime were razed. Confusion ensued when the army announced Mr. Compaore’s government had been dissolved in favor of a transitional administration, followed hours later by Mr. Compaore’s declaration late Thursday that he would lead the transition and step down in a year.
The protests against Mr. Compaore and his government represent a popular revolt against one of the still prominent features on Africa’s political landscape: leaders who govern into a second and third decade in office. There was no immediate response from Washington to the announcement. For the
Obama
administration, which has urged democratic reform in the band of West African countries that border the southern edge of the Sahara, the violent demonstrations posed a delicate test. The U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou called Thursday for an end to the violence and urged the opposition to work with the government to find a solution. “The U.S. does not support the anti-constitutional toppling of governments,” it said in a statement.
said in a statement that the departure of Mr. Compaore from power would allow a solution to the crisis that has rocked the West African country over the past days. “France is mindful of its support for the constitution and hence the quick holding of democratic elections,” the statement said. Mr. Hollande expressed solidarity with the victims of the riots and called for calm in the country. Since the early 1990s, Burkina Faso has been an unusually calm and democratic country compared its neighbors Mali, Niger, and Côte d’Ivoire, which have been beset by coups and civil wars. But to protesters who thronged the streets of the capital this week, Burkina Faso’s democracy is skin deep, built around the insistence by Mr. Compaore to rule in perpetuity. —Inti Landauro in Paris contributed to this article.
BURKINA FASO, Ouagadougou : A protester holds a white cloth as cars and documents burn outside the parliament in Ouagadougou on October 30, 2014. Hundreds of angry demonstrators in Burkina Faso stormed parliament on October 30 before setting it on fire in protest at plans to change the constitution to allow President Blaise Compaore to extend his 27-year rule. Police had fired tear gas on protesters to try to prevent them from moving in on the National Assembly building ahead of a vote on the controversial legislation. But about 1,500 people managed to break through the security cordon and were ransacking parliament. AFP PHOTO / ISSOUF SANOGO
