Over the past few days Burkina Faso has witnessed political and social upheaval. Blaise Compaore was deposed by the military and street demonstrations, which were sparked by his attempts to run for reelection in 2015. Campore came to power through a military coup which resulted in the assassination of revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara in 1987. These events did not happen overnight. They are a culmination of external interference from Western nations and geopolitical interests.
Blaise Compaore from the start of his presidency was subservient to France and the United States. His first acts were to reverse all the policies of Thomas Sankara, which raised the living standards of the population. Western financial donations ensured that Compaore's regime would be compliant with French and American objectives. It did not matter that political oppression was occurring at massive levels. Opposition to the Organization for Popular Democracy -Labor Movement was met with extreme violence. Compaore's political party constantly engaged in electoral fraud. Gradually, military bases were being built in the country . After the 9/11 terrorist attacks these bases gained even more importance, because the US and France continue to use them to fight Islamist militants in the Sahel and Maghreb. Not only did this extend neo-colonial domination of the region, but did little to benefit the Burkinabe population.
Under the Compaore presidency the economy declined drastically. Cotton prices declined, which is a major cash crop of the country. National debt was increasing to precarious levels. The government went to the IMF for economic recovery suggestions. Structural Adjustment and fiscal austerity was imposed on the country reducing social services. Fees for education increased and workers for state owned factories found themselves unemployed. These severe economic policies were put in place in 1991 and so far have weakened Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso remains one of the world's poorest countries, even though it has a multitude of natural resources.
Burkina Faso like most developing nations, is targeted for its natural resources. The country's mineral deposits include gold, copper, nickle, bauxite, lead, silver, and tin ore. France the traditional colonizer, still has business interests in the country. There are a multitude of multinational corporations who exploit the country. Scotia Exploration and Mining for example has been active in the country for decades. According to their company data, Burkina Faso is the fourth largest gold producer in the region (2012 estimate). The public sees little of the wealth generated by these companies. Even worse, the Burkinabe people are not in control of their economic structure.
When the uprising happened it seemed as if the people were able to rid themselves of a puppet ruler. Sadly, the military is taking power. The series of coups and power struggles have attracted the attention of the AU, UN, and ECOWAS. Now, there are threats of sanctions, which would only exacerbate the situation. None of the choices are favorable given the present conditions. Either foster a military junta or have French and American colonizers invade. There is an alternative.The only action to take is for Burkina Faso to assert itself as a sovereign nation-state.
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Further Reading
Appiah,
Kwame and Gates, Henry. “Burkina Faso”. Africana
Encyclopedia.
New York :Perseus Books Group,1999.335-337
http://www.scotiaexploration.com/burkina-faso.html
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