Military stage coup in Burkina Faso

The military in Burkina Faso has taken to the airwaves to declare it now controls the country, confirming that a coup has taken place — just weeks before national elections. General Gilbert Diendere has been appointed the head of a military council, making him the country’s new leader, a spokesperson for the presidential guard announced on national television.

Frontiers have been closed and a curfew imposed from 19:00 to 06:00. Diendiere headed the presidential guard under president Blaise Compaore, who ruled the West African country for 27 years until fleeing to Cote d’Ivoire nearly a year ago. In the announcement aired early yesterday on national television and radio, the statement said that the transitional government in the west African country had been dissolved.

The statement came a day after members of the elite presidential guard unit of the military arrested the transitional president and prime minister. The communique read by Lieutenant Colonel Mamadou Bamba criticised the electoral code, which blocked members of the ex-president’s party from taking part in the October 11 elections.

It is still very unclear how this crisis will now resolve itself. Anyone who supported the ex-president’s bid to amend the constitution so he could seek another term is also banned from running. Bamba yesterday announced the beginning of a “coherent, fair and equitable process” that would lead to inclusive elections. The power grab violated the country’s constitution.

Fanny Noaro, a journalist based in the capital Ouagadougou, said gunfire could be heard on the streets of the city. A Reuters witness said that soldiers had fired warning shots to disperse a crowd gathered in Independence Square to protest against an apparent seizure of power by the presidential guard. More than 100 people had gathered in the square to demand the release of the interim government, detained by the elite military unit since Wednesday.

Cynthia Ohayon, West Africa analyst with International Crisis Group (ICG), described the turn of events as “unsurprising”. “It’s still very unclear how this crisis will now resolve itself [. . .] the only outcome will come through negotiation and compromise [but] I don’t see what sort of of compromise will be acceptable to both sides, considering both sides have gone all in so far,” Ohayon said from Paris.

The transitional government came to power after the president of 27 years, Blaise Compaore, was toppled late last year in a public uprising. — AFP