On Friday, more than a dozen members of the Burkinabé army seized control of the state broadcaster to announce the overthrow of Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who ruled for nine months.
The statement read by the Junta spokesperson mentioned that the new military leader of the volatile west African nation is Capt. Ibrahim Traore.
This is the second time in the last eight months that a volatile military faction has not only asserted power but also changed the power dynamics of the nation. They declared that they had dissolved the government and National Assembly and suspended the constitution.
The statement, read by the spokesman of the junta, stated: “Faced by the continually worsening security situation, we, the officers and junior officers of the national armed forces, were motivated to take action with the desire to protect the security and integrity of the country.” (AP)
What is the conflict about?
Burkina Faso has now become the epicenter of a deteriorating displacement and humanitarian crisis. Increasing clashes between armed groups, many of which are affiliated with terrorist groups such as the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, and national security forces. This, along with the series of attacks on civilians by the warring parties, has made the conditions miserable as it has fueled internal displacement.
A number of non-state actors, security forces, and others have been accused of committing crimes against civilians in the region, including murder, rape, and abduction, as well as persecution based on ethnicity and group membership.
At the beginning of 2022, due to the government’s inability to handle a series of threats from armed groups led by the notorious faction of soldiers. A coup followed a few weeks later, toppling the government.
Once again, in less than a year, military officers have asserted their power. As the drill repeats, the new rulers have announced the dissolution of the transitional government and the closure of the border. All political and civil society activities have been halted and a curfew has been imposed between 9pm and 5am. (Aljazeera)
What happens in a coup d’état?
The illegal and unconstitutional attempt by the military or security forces within the state apparatus to topple the existing government, as Clayton Thyne defines a coup,
The overthrow of a leader or a government is often a violent act. And unlike revolutions, it aims to replace the government or the leader rather than change the socio-political dynamics of the country.
In the landlocked country with a population of more than 20 million, the problem is not simply coups d’états, but the nation has been struggling to contain rebel groups, some of which are affiliated with terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Picture credits: The World Economic Forum
In addition to the power dynamics, the country is prone to chronic drought, flash floods, windstorms, and disease outbreaks as a consequence of climate change. Due to an agriculture-based economy, this ends up in a vicious cycle where climate conditions push civilians towards poverty and spike internal displacement.
International response
The international community, including the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as well as France, the United States, and the United Kingdom, condemn the latest coup in the landlocked, volatile nation.
ECOWAS took the opportunity to “reaffirm its unequivocal opposition to any seizure or maintenance of power by unconstitutional means.”
“Burkina Faso needs peace, it needs stability and it needs unity in order to fight terrorist groups and criminal networks operating in parts of the country,” Stephane Dujjaric, the UN spokesman, said.
Additionally, UN Chief Antonio Guterres reiterates the commitment of the organization to support the people of Burkina Faso as they strive toward sustainable peace and stability. (UN News)