Un fracaso in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso and its famous neighbors in West Africa

Burkinabe people's attempt to overthrow Blaise Compaore overshadow by military coup

Burkina Faso: Un Coup consititutionel?

West Africa has the misfortune of making the mainstream news when something goes wrong. Rarely does a West African country's positive side and ordinary coming and goings of the people make it to media pundits' desktops. The region also holds the record for witnessing over twenty plus coups in the past fifty years carried out covertly by CIA, MI5, French intelligence and indirectly by military leaders supported by Western powers against existential threats from progressive leaders who attempt to deliver on their promises of justice for ordinary people in the region. Western support for military and civilian coups used to be based on "saving" the world from the threat of communism and socialism that was turned into the ultimate existential threat to the world. Now the argument is the rise and spread of terrorism which has replaced communism as the new red scare and greenlighted military intervention in West Africa and Middle East as a method of containing terrorism. NATO still exists to enforce regime change to regional leaders and powers that threaten US hegemony or do not care for Western political or economic systems. Even when the UN calls for diplomacy or a peaceful resolution to coups or military conflicts, the United States and its European allies supersedes the wishes of most UN members by having the final say in how it responds to coups and power struggles.

The former President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore has been fortunate to still be alive after the landlocked country witnessed yet another coup. Ironically, Compaore himself came to power through a bloody coup against the popular revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara in 1985. He fought tooth and nail to keep his 27 year hold on power in tact unofficially becoming Burkina Faso's President for Life to borrow the euphemism of the pundits and Western leaders. Supported by U.S. and France for most of his rule, Compaore has watched his allies and nemesis removed from office in neighboring countries ie Mali, Niger, Liberia, Cote d Ivoire with the war between Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara.  Compaore was claimed to be tied to war criminal and former Liberian President Charles Taylor and Libyan leader Maumar Gaddhafi through his personal support of Taylor's war against the Liberian people and providing Gaddhafi with political support. Burkina Faso has long fallen behind its neighbors in infrastructure and educational development in Burkinabe capital Ouagadougou and other towns. Economically, it has been growing but suffered from low gold prices, lack of access to sea ports and strong transport infrastructure. Many Burkinabes have migrated to Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger and Ghana in search of jobs and greater economic opportunities. When post election violence broke out in Cote d'Ivoire following the election of Ouattara, many Burkinabes returned home only to be invited  back by Ouattara as part of Ivorian people. In turn, Blaise Compaore has been welcomed and granted stay in the country by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara as a long time friend. Many West African countries share a fraternal cultural and societal link with their neighbors. Its not uncommon for political leaders and ordinary citizens to move across borders even in times of instability and find some shelter from the chaos in their home countries. Compoare was helped to safety in Cote d'Ivoire by France who has been helping many corrupt West African leaders find refuge in France or other European and neighboring African countries for decades. Mbotu in D.R. Congo is another leader along with Central African Republic's leaders Francois Bozize and Mali's ex leader Amadou Toure.

From the South: Burkinabe military overthrows Blaise Compaore

The Burkinabe people have continuously protested French meddling in the country's local affairs and corrupt and shady rule of Compaore. The Burkinabe military is currently serving as the care taker government and like Egyptian and Central African rebels refuse to step down from power to the anger of Burkinabes. Post coup promises mean little to Burkinabes who see the military as using excessive force against the people. Nevertheless, the military agreed to a transition of power to civilian rule.