Harschs insightful and lively account offers keen insights into the political history of a fascinatingyet unfortunately understudiedcountry. He was indeed a disciplined and true africa leader whose focus was on burkina faso, his home country. Sep 24, 2015 a coup in burkina faso threatened to pull the country further into political crisis, with leading ministers detained, violent clashes on the streets of the capital, and a wideeyed general. He was a genuine and dynamic leader who came to power on a continent thats mostly known for kleptocrats and entrenched dictators. How the people of burkina faso foiled a military coup. Oct 31, 2014 president blaise compaore, the longtime ruler of burkina faso, gave up power on friday following a wave of violent protests that had overthrown his government. The current president is blaise compaore, who came to power in 1987 after a coup detat that killed thomas sankara. Thomas sankara president of burkina faso britannica.
Thomas sankaras revolutionary legacy lives on december 9, 2009 by demba moussa dembele thomas sankara, the revolutionary leader of the west african nation burkina faso from 1983 to 1987, was killed in the belief that it could extinguish the example he set for african youth and progressive. Algeria in the north, guinea and ivory coast in the south, and burkina faso and niger in the east. Seven lessons from burkina fasos sevenday coup bbc news. Sankara set ambitious goals to reduce poverty in burkina faso and championed. Nov 17, 2017 the people of burkina faso have decided to take control of their destiny, mr kabore said. The people of burkina faso have decided to take control of their destiny, mr kabore said. Burkina fasos national parks include po in the southcentre of the country, arly in the southeast, and w in the east, straddling the border with benin and niger. Ouagadougou, burkina faso the burkina faso military crushed the last remnants of a failed coup on tuesday, storming the barracks of the elite unit that staged the coup. The northwestern part of presentday burkina faso was populated by huntergatherers from 14000 bc to 5000 bc.
Burkina faso finds itself at the heart of the current sahelian crisis, while simultaneously navigating its own revolutionary democratic transition. History of islammodern periodburkina faso wikibooks, open. History until the end of the 19th century, the history of burkina faso was dominated by the empirebuilding mossi. A chronology of key events in the history of burkina faso, from 1919 to the present. The bbcs lamine konkobo looks at the issues behind the coup in burkina faso, where members of the presidential guard overthrew the interim government before handing back power. The chronology of military coup detats and regimes in burkina faso. Until the end of the 19th century, the history of burkina faso was dominated by the empirebuilding mossi, who are believed to have come from central or eastern africa sometime in the 11th century. Sep 25, 2015 the bbcs lamine konkobo looks at the issues behind the coup in burkina faso, where members of the presidential guard overthrew the interim government before handing back power. This commentary traces recent regime change and political transition in burkina faso.
Burkina faso has had an extremely unstable history since its independence and multiple coups have been staged. Sankaras roman catholic parents wanted him to be a priest. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. The article recounts the recent political history of the upper. Rakotomalala and nadia karoui for global voices online, part of the guardian africa network. Just before he was killed sankara referred to the dop as a major landmark in the history of burkina faso, if not the world. A history of power by ernest harsch hana sandhu says this book is a gripping account of the countrys radical history of political struggle. This article analyses recent political developments in burkina. President blaise compaore, the longtime ruler of burkina faso, gave up power on friday following a wave of violent protests that had overthrown his. It used to be called upper volta and the name was changed to burkina faso in 1984. Mossi is the most widely spoken language of burkina faso, as it is spoken by nearly 40% of the countrys population. Burkina faso will be a reminder that coups or military intrusion can no longer be tolerated in west africa.
Conscious of our responsibilities and of our duties before history and before humanity. Also speaking on the panel were manuel agramonte, cubas ambassador to burkina faso during the four years of the revolutionary government led by thomas sankara. Burkina faso officially the republic of burkina faso is a landlocked country in west africa. The coup was apparently led by allies of the countrys longtime ruler. Dienderes illfated effort to seize power in burkina faso in september 2014. Under french colonization, burkina faso became a main labor source for agricultural and factory work in cote divoire. The seizure of power by burkina fasos presidential. In 1987, blaise compaore became president and, after an alleged 1989 coup. Interim leader challenges burkina faso military coup the.
Burkina faso history, west african history, books barnes. History of islammodern periodburkina faso wikibooks. Jeanbaptiste ouedraogo 20 burkina faso 8 4 1983 1 capt. The 2016 burkinabe coup detat attempt was an attempt to overthrow the government of burkina faso on 8 october 2016. Surrounded by mali, the cote divoire, niger, togo, ghana and benin in western subsaharan africa, the tiny nation of burkina faso is completely landlocked and with a. American spy by lauren wilkinson, the parachute drop by norbert zongo, of water and the spirit. Burkinabe also migrated to ghana, mali, and senegal for work between the world wars. He held that position until 1987, when he was killed during another coup. Interim leader challenges burkina faso military coup. The history of burkina faso includes the history of various kingdoms within the country, such as the mossi kingdoms, as well as the later french colonisation of the territory and its independence as the republic of upper volta in 1960.
Particular attention is paid to the revolutionary years 198387 under thomas sankara, whom the author interviewed several times, and the burkinabe uprising in 2014 that deposed blaise compaore. Military, coup detat, regime, burkina faso, africa. Thomas sankara simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Blaise compaore, resulted in a military coup detat on 4 august 1983. For those who are familiar with it, the life of thomas sankara has a certain shakespearean quality. From upper volta to burkina faso usf scholar commons. At least 30 exmembers of the elite presidential guard known as the rsp planned an attack on three locations. The life and death of thomas sankara philosophy of shaving. Since its independence from france on 5 august 1960 to 15 october 1987, burkina faso, the land of the upright people, has experience five changes in government.
Conflict trends in africa marshall page 2 of 7 coups detat in africa, 19462004 country month day year success leaders deaths chad 3 31 1977 2 sublt. In burkina faso, all eyes on how postcoup leaders handle. The history of burkina faso includes the history of various kingdoms within the country, such as. Sep 25, 2015 how the people of burkina faso foiled a military coup. The economist explains why burkina faso has so many. Thomas sankara and the revolutionary birth of burkina faso. The answer lies in part in the way coups tend to be defined. Best described as africas che guevara, thomas sankara, of blessed memory, was a burkinabe military captain, marxist revolutionary, panafricanist and president of burkina faso whose leadership regime began in 1983 ended in 1987. By mathieu bonkoungou and nadoun coulibaly ouagadougou reuters the leader of a shortlived coup in burkina faso, general gilbert diendere, was handed over to. Faso, particularly the failed coup detat in september 2015.
The 1987 burkinabe coup detat was a bloody military coup in burkina faso, which took place on 15 october 1987. Burkina faso simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Sep 26, 2015 burkina faso s interim government, led by president michel kafando, has been reinstated after a brief coup carried out by a group of military guards, the presidential security regiment rsp. In october 2014, huge protests across burkina faso succeeded in overthrowing the longentrenched regime of their authoritarian ruler, blaise compaore. The president of burkina faso has resigned the atlantic. The coup was organized by captain blaise compaore against incumbent farleft president captain thomas sankara, his former friend and associate during the 1983 upheaval. In 1984 the revolutionary government changed the name of the country to burkina faso, its flag, and its national anthem. The country was once ruled by france, but it has been independent since 1960. In the years after independence in 1960, following the dissolution of french west africa, upper volta goes through many abrupt changes including five military coups in 1966, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987 and a change in the nations name, in 1984, to burkina faso. How the people of burkina faso foiled a military coup world.
Defying all expectations, this popular movement went on to defeat an attempted coup by the old regime, making it possible for a transitional government to organize free and fair elections the. Sankara and compaore established the national revolutionary committee with sankara as president, and he. So, if you are still trying to make sense of what happened, how it unfolded, and whats next, weve got you covered. The event was organized as part of the annual havana international book fair. Their tools, including scrapers, chisels and arrowheads, were discovered in 1973 through archaeological excavations. Thomas sankara, military officer and proponent of panafricanism who was installed as president of upper volta later burkina faso in 1983 after a military coup. Burkina faso military puts down last holdouts from coup. After mass demonstrations blaise compaore was forced to resign his presidency on 31 october 2014. Burkina faso a history of power, protest and revolution. Burkina faso, formerly known as upper volta, was a french. Burkina fasos interim government, led by president michel kafando, has been reinstated after a brief coup carried out by a group of military guards, the presidential security regiment rsp. Guinea and ivory coast in the south, and burkina faso and niger in the east. Most people living in the countrys urban areas are multilingual, while the rural population uses their native languages for common activities. Hello and welcome to the telegraphs live coverage of burkino faso and its coup.
Burkina faso s national parks include po in the southcentre of the country, arly in the southeast, and w in the east, straddling the border with benin and niger. Unlike the previous coups in the upper volta, this work argues that the. A military coup in burkina faso led by a veteran of us. Thomas sankara bio, spouse, children, cause of death. The 2015 burkinabe coup detat was launched on 16 september 2015 in burkina faso, when members of the regiment of presidential security rsp a controversial autonomous military unit, formed under president blaise compaore detained the countrys government.
A history of power, protest and revolution, ernest harsch is published by zed books. Just 11 months later, in october 2016, a coup plot by forces loyal to mr compaore was foiled by. Burkina fasos constitution of 1991 with amendments. The first military coup occurred in 1966, but then succumbed to another coup in 1978. As a reporter with 30 years of experience working in the region, ernest harschs burkina faso. Sep 30, 2015 ouagadougou, burkina faso the burkina faso military crushed the last remnants of a failed coup on tuesday, storming the barracks of the elite unit that staged the coup days earlier the. Burkina faso attracts migrants from cote divoire, ghana, and mali, who often share common ethnic backgrounds with the burkinabe. A countercoup was launched in 1983, which brought the charismatic captain thomas sankara to leadership. Sep 18, 2015 interim leader challenges burkina faso military coup. Political party labor union ivory coast major ethnic group military coup. Thomas sankara and the revolutionary birth of burkina faso mamadou diallo february 1, 2018. The colony of upper volta was established in 1919, but it was dismembered and. The major ethnolinguistic group of burkina faso is the mossi.
From upper volta to burkina faso, is the study of the politics of reaction and reform in a postcolonial nationstate of burkina faso. The military in burkina faso has taken to the airwaves to declare it. A history of power, protest, and revolution by ernest harsch is a comprehensive history of burkina faso. The french arrived and claimed the area in 1896, but mossi resistance ended only with the capture of their capital ouagadougou in 1901. Belgian economist pierre engleberts book, burkina faso. The military in burkina faso has taken to the airwaves to declare it now controls the country, confirming that a. Sep 17, 2015 hello and welcome to the telegraphs live coverage of burkino faso and its coup. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Burkina fasos constitution of 1991 with amendments through 2012.
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