Junta in Burkina Faso rallies followers post-accusation of another coup attempt
Standing Strong: Burkina Faso's Pro-Junta Protest
Supporters of Captain Ibrahim Traoré and the Burkinabe military junta gathered in Ouagadougou on April 30, expressing their solidarity just days after the authorities unveiled a "grand conspiracy" supposedly aimed at orchestrating a coup.
Banners waved in the air read: "Full support for President Ibrahim Traoré and the people of Burkina Faso", "Down with imperialism and its local lackeys", "Long live anti-imperialist resistance", or "No to the machinations of imperialist powers to undermine our revolution".
This demonstration is one of the largest pro-junta gatherings since the military coup in September 2022 in this poor Sahelian nation torn apart by attacks from armed jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have left tens of thousands dead since 2015.
On April 21, the military regime claimed to have thwarted a "grand conspiracy in preparation," intended to sow complete chaos, with its masterminds allegedly situated in Côte d'Ivoire, often criticized by the junta for harboring its opponents. Abidjan has perpetually refuted these allegations.
Stifling Dissent
Over the past year, the junta has detained dozens of military officers, including the former chief of staff of the gendarmerie, Evrard Somda, all charged with "conspiracy" or "attempted destabilization of the republican institutions".
The regime regularly suppresses dissenting voices, particularly within civil society and the media, in the name of combating jihadists. The regime's supporters, including several ministers and deputies, gathered in the heart of Ouagadougou on Wednesday, heeding the call of the National Coordination of Citizen Vigilance Associations (CNAVC, pro-junta).
Additional rallies took place, notably in Bobo-Dioulasso, the country's second-largest city, and Boromo, both located in the southwest of the nation, to denounce "the hypocrisy of former colonial powers, which criminalize resistance while plundering the African continent" and "media disinformation trying to demonize pan-African leaders".
Giant posters of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who attained power through the September 2022 coup, were carried by protesters alongside Burkinabe, Russian, and Alliance of Sahel States flags, an organization created with Mali and Niger, two neighboring countries also governed by military regimes. This trio emphasizes their national sovereignty. These three countries have moved away from France, the former colonial power, in favor of closer ties with Russia.
Unwavering Resolve
Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo addressed the crowd in the late morning. "1987 is not 2025. We are standing," he declared, referencing former Burkinabe president and pan-Africanist figure Thomas Sankara, killed in a coup in 1987. The junta claims his legacy.
"The Burkinabe youth is standing up, the patriotic people are standing up, freedom fighters worldwide are standing up, and we will stand together to defend our leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré," he continued. "We must stand more than ever because when the people stand up, imperialists tremble," he asserted.
For Ghislain Somé, secretary-general of CNVAC, "this mobilization is proof that the people are behind their leaders. Never will our president be targeted or our country destabilized. We are a shield".
Read the analysis | Article reserved for our subscribers In Burkina Faso, Captain Traoré's BIR at the forefront of the "dirty war" against jihadists
"This rally is in support of Captain Traoré, but it's also and primarily to strongly denounce the false statements of the American general Michael Langley, head of the US military's Africa Command (Africom), who accused the head of state of using the country's gold reserves for personal protection at the expense of his people's well-being", said Adama Kima, one of the rally's organizers, broadcast live on national television.
"His statements aimed to sow seeds of revolt among our population, but we are not fooled, and we will not be taken in", said Adama Kambiré, leader of a civil society organization. Several banners held by protesters referred to the United States, such as "No to US interference" and "Burkina Faso is not an American department".
With AFP
SubscribeContribute
Reuse this content
- Critics claim hypocrisy in the Burkinabe government's actions, as they allege suppressing dissenting voices under the guise of combating jihadists, while detaining military officers, like the former chief of staff of the gendarmerie, Evrard Somda.
- In a demonstration reminiscent of the National Coordination of Citizen Vigilance Associations (CNAVC), supporters of Captain Ibrahim Traoré and the Burkinabe military junta gathered to denounce the supposed machinations of imperialist powers and media disinformation, demanding an end to US interference.
- The regime's supporters have been vocal, with additional rallies occurring in cities such as Bobo-Dioulasso and Boromo, emphasizing their national sovereignty and rejecting imperialist influences.
- In light of accusations by the American general Michael Langley, head of Africom, that the Burkinabe head of state is using the country's gold reserves for personal gain, protest organizers argue that these statements aim to sow revolt among the population and deny any truth to the claims of hypocrisy by foreign powers.
