People of Burkina Faso should forget about democracy, says military ruler
People of Burkina Faso should forget about democracy, says military ruler
Ibrahim Traoré, the military leader of Burkina Faso, declared that citizens should abandon their pursuit of democratic governance, stating it is ‘not suitable for us’ during an interview with the state broadcaster.
Traoré seized power in a coup in September 2022, replacing a previous military regime that had ruled for nine months prior. He has since suppressed political dissent and, in January, enacted a complete ban on political parties.
“We are not even discussing elections, and people must let go of the democratic concept. We must tell the truth—democracy isn’t aligned with our needs,” Traoré said in an interview on Thursday with Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina (RTB).
The initial plan for a democratic transition had been set for 2024, but the junta extended Traoré’s authority until 2029. He argued that democracy is ‘false,’ claiming it leads to the killing of children, bombings targeting women, hospital destruction, and civilian casualties. ‘Is that democracy?’ he questioned.
Traoré has garnered support across Africa through his anti-French and anti-western rhetoric, drawing on the legacy of Thomas Sankara, the Marxist leader who led Burkina Faso from 1983 until his assassination in 1987.
The government has faced challenges from a jihadist insurgency that has resulted in thousands of deaths since 2014 and displaced 2.1 million people, roughly 9% of the population, according to data from three years ago.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Thursday that more than 1,800 civilians have been killed by the military, allied militias, and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) since 2023. The group accused all parties of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes, including the ethnic cleansing of Fulani civilians, targeted killings, and forced displacement of communities.
In April 2024, HRW revealed that 223 civilians were executed in a single day two months earlier, prompting the government to deny the claim and ban the organization, along with several international media outlets such as The Guardian.
