Captain Ibrahim Traore, Burkina Faso military leader wey seize power for 2022, don drop strong talk say people for di kontri need to forget about democracy. For interview wey state television show on Thursday night, di junta leader yarn say “democracy kills” and “democracy no be for us.”
Traore, wey dey 38 years old, talk say Libya na example close to Burkina Faso where outsiders try impose democracy but fail. “Look at Libya, na prime example right next to us! Everywhere dem try establish democracy for world, na with bloodshed dem dey do am,” di military leader yarn.
Dis na latest sign say Traore government don dey move far from di original promise wey dem make to return kontri to democratic rule. When Traore seize power for September 2022, eight months after earlier military coup wey he involve inside overthrow democratically elected government of President Roch Marc Kabore, di military government promise say dem go battle al-Qaeda and ISIL-linked armed groups wey don swarm di kontri.
But violence no stop. Fatalities triple for di three years since Traore take power reach 17,775 by last May. Dat one compare to di three years before, when combined recorded deaths na 6,630, according to analysis by US-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Most of those wey die na civilians, many by government forces and allied militias.
Human Rights Watch report wey come out on Thursday say more than 1,800 civilians don die for Burkina Faso since Traore seize power for 2023. Di publication attribute two-thirds of di killings to military and allied militias, with di rest blame on Islamist militants.
Traore initially promise to organise elections for 2024. One year later, di leader change mind say elections no go hold until all parts of Burkina Faso safe for voting. Two months before July 2024 deadline, di junta announce say dem go extend rule for another five years.
For January, Traore government scrap more than 100 political parties for di kontri and seize dia assets. Parliament and all political activity don suspend before after Traore take power. Di Independent National Electoral Commission dissolve for July 2025 after Traore government claim say di agency too expensive.
Neighbouring Mali and Niger, wey military rulers wey take power for coups dey lead, don similarly dissolve political parties. All three kontris exit regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc to form dia own Alliance of Sahel States (AES) last January after pressure to hold elections.
Dem don turn to Russian paramilitary fighters after evict former colonial power, France, wey don deploy about 5,000 soldiers to help fight armed groups for Sahel region. Burkina Faso, like junta-led neighbours Mali and Niger, don move away from working with Western kontris, especially France, for fight against Islamist militants.
Traore address di dissolution of political parties, say he consider dem to be divisive, dangerous and incompatible with revolutionary project. “Di truth be say, politics for Africa – or at least wetin we experience for Burkina – be say real politician na person wey embody every vice: liar, sycophant, smooth-talker,” di junta leader yarn.
Di military leader no propose alternative system, but say: “We get our own approach. We no even dey try copy anybody else. We dey here to completely change how dem dey do things.” He emphasise say dem dey build new system wey root for sovereignty, patriotism and revolutionary mobilisation, with traditional leaders and grassroots structures play central role.
For wide-ranging interview, he also emphasise importance of economic and military self-reliance, as well as hard work, say say to work six- or eight-hour days no go enable Burkina Faso catch up with richer kontris.
Traore don suppress dissent during his rule, crack down on opposition, media and civil society groups. His government even accuse of punish critics by sending dem to front-lines of war against Islamist militants.
Despite dis, Traore don gain huge followers across continent for his pan-Africanist vision and criticism of Western influence. He cast himself as revolutionary leader wey stand up to Western imperialism.
Analysts don raise concerns about government apparent targeting of other institutions, including media and judiciary. Journalists, political opposition leaders and prosecutors wey critical of military government don forcibly conscript and send to front lines for recent months, with some later release.
Islamist insurgencies for all three kontris don kill thousands and displace millions over past decade. Burkina Faso continue come under repeated attacks and hundreds of thousands of civilians dey displaced.
Government no respond to requests for comment from Reuters about Human Rights Watch report. Di roundtable with journalists wey state television air on Thursday night show Traore clear position: democracy no be priority for Burkina Faso now.
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