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, has asserted that the nation’s citizens should abandon their pursuit of democratic governance, describing it as unsuitable for the country’s current circumstances. This declaration came during an interview with the state-run Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina (RTB) on Thursday.

“We’re not even talking about elections, first of all … People need to forget about the question of democracy … We must tell the truth, democracy isn’t for us,” Traoré said.

The 37-year-old leader assumed power in September 2022 following a coup that ended the rule of a previous junta, which had been in charge since late 2021. Since then, he has implemented measures to suppress dissent, including the outright banning of political parties in January. A transition to civilian rule was initially scheduled for 2024, but the military extended Traoré’s leadership until 2029, effectively halting the democratic process.

Traoré has drawn support across Africa by emphasizing anti-French and anti-western sentiments, drawing parallels to the revolutionary legacy of Thomas Sankara, the Marxist leader who governed Burkina Faso from 1983 until his assassination in 1987. However, his regime has faced criticism for its role in escalating violence, particularly against Fulani communities accused of backing the jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM).

Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently highlighted that over 1,800 civilians have been killed since 2023 by the military, allied militias, and JNIM. The report also accused all parties of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes, including ethnic cleansing, targeted killings, and forced displacement of communities. In April 2024, HRW claimed the military executed 223 civilians in a single day, a figure the government contested and used to justify its actions.

Since 2014, the jihadist insurgency has claimed thousands of lives and displaced 2.1 million people, nearly 9% of Burkina Faso’s population. Despite Traoré’s rhetoric, the country continues to grapple with the fallout of this conflict, which has deepened tensions between the military and civilian populations.