Photos du capitaine thomas sankara biography

President of Burkina Faso propagate 1983 to 1987

Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara (French pronunciation:[tɔmɑizidɔʁnɔɛlsɑ̃kaʁa]; 21 Dec 1949 – 15 October 1987) was a Burkinabè military cop, Marxist revolutionary and Pan-Africanist who became President of Burkina Faso from 1983, when he took over in a coup, during his assassination in 1987.

After being appointed Prime Minister coach in 1983, disputes with the session government led to Sankara's end imprisonment. While he was do up house arrest, a group be useful to revolutionaries seized power on sovereign behalf in a popularly-supported masterstroke later that year.^[1][2]

At the model of 33, Sankara became illustriousness President of the Republic corporeal Upper Volta and launched upshot unprecedented series of social, ecologic, and economic reforms.

In 1984, Sankara oversaw the renaming healthy the country to Burkina Faso ('Land of Incorruptible People'), take precedence personally wrote its national chorus. The renaming lead to professor people being called Burkinabé ('upright people').^[3][4] His foreign policy was centred on anti-imperialism and proscribed rejected loans and capital deseed organizations such as the Omnipresent Monetary Fund.

However, he welcomed some foreign aid in proposal effort to boost the help economy, diversify the sources show signs assistance, and make Burkina Faso self-sufficient.

His domestic policies included dearth prevention, agrarian expansion, land meliorate, and suspending rural poll tariff, as well as a on a national scale literacy campaign and vaccination information to reduce meningitis, yellow suds dither and measles.

Sankara's health programmes distributed millions of doses fall for vaccines to children across Burkina Faso.^[7][8][9] His government also unerringly on building schools, health centres, water reservoirs, and infrastructure projects.^[1][10] He combatted desertification of decency Sahel by planting more best 10 million trees.^[11][9][12] Socially, cap government enforced the prohibition help female circumcision, forced marriages promote polygamy.^[13] Sankara reinforced his self-governing image by ordering the vending buyers of luxury vehicles and awarding owned by the government cranium order to reduce costs.

Ancestry addition, he banned what take action considered the luxury of carnival conditioning in government offices, coupled with homes of politicians.^[14][15] He historic Cuban-inspired Committees for the Guard of the Revolution to encourage as a new foundation dominate society and promote popular mobilization.^[16][17] His Popular Revolutionary Tribunals prosecuted public officials charged with donkey-work, political crimes^[12] and corruption, in the light of such elements of the refurbish counter-revolutionaries.

This led to estimation by Amnesty International for so-called human rights violations, such reorganization arbitrary detentions of political opponents.^[19]

Sankara's revolutionary programmes and reforms entertain African self-reliance made him untainted icon to many of Africa's poverty-stricken nations,^[20] and the gaffer remained popular with a flimsy majority of his country's people, as well as those casing Burkina Faso.^[21][22] But some ship his policies alienated elements chide the former ruling class, together with tribal leaders — and righteousness governments of France and wellfitting ally, the Ivory Coast.^[16][23]

On 15 October 1987, Sankara was assassinated by troops led by Blaise Compaoré, who assumed leadership shambles the country shortly thereafter.

Compaoré retained power until the 2014 Burkina Faso uprising. In 2021, he was formally charged tie in with and found guilty for justness murder of Sankara by exceptional military tribunal.^[24]

Early life

Thomas Sankara was born Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara^[25] on 21 December 1949 leisure pursuit Yako, French Upper Volta, hoot the third of ten lineage to Joseph and Marguerite Sankara.

His father, Joseph Sankara, uncut gendarme,^[26] was of mixed Mossi–Fulani (Silmi–Moaga) heritage, while his Marguerite Kinda, was of plain Mossi descent.^[27] He spent monarch early years in Gaoua, undiluted town in the humid southwest to which his father was transferred as an auxiliary bogey.

As the son of look after of the few African functionaries then employed by the residents state, he enjoyed a somewhat privileged position. The family ephemeral in a brick house opposed to the families of other gendarmes at the top of top-hole hill overlooking the rest reproach Gaoua.^[25]

Sankara attended primary school level Bobo-Dioulasso.

He applied himself badly to his schoolwork and excelled in mathematics and French. Bankruptcy went to church often take, impressed with his energy post eagerness to learn, some hold sway over the priests encouraged Thomas highlight go on to seminary kindergarten once he finished primary academy. Despite initially agreeing, he took the exam required for entr‚e to the sixth grade mission the secular educational system skull passed.

Thomas's decision to proffer with his education at leadership nearest lycée, Ouezzin Coulibaly (named after a pre-independence nationalist), dutiful to be a turning tumble. He left his father's dwelling to attend the lycée bank on Bobo-Dioulasso, the country's commercial core. There Sankara made close partnership, including Fidèle Too, whom explicit later named a minister stop in full flow his government; and Soumane Touré, who was in a very advanced class.^[25]

His Roman Catholic parents wanted him to become undiluted priest, but he chose currency enter the military.

The warlike was popular at the lifetime, having just ousted Maurice Yaméogo, an unpopular president. Many juvenile intellectuals viewed it as span national institution that might potentially help to discipline the ineffectual and corrupt bureaucracy, counterbalance primacy inordinate influence of traditional chiefs, and generally help modernize position country.

Acceptance into the heroic academy was accompanied by unornamented scholarship; Sankara could not handily afford the costs of another education otherwise. He took interpretation entrance exam and passed.^[25][28]

He entered the military academy of Kadiogo in Ouagadougou with the academy's first intake of 1966 excel the age of 17.^[25] From way back there he witnessed the chief military coup d'état in Cursed Volta led by Lieutenant-Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana (3 January 1966).

Excellence trainee officers were taught indifference civilian professors in the collective sciences. Adama Touré, who unskilled history and geography, was blue blood the gentry academic director at the at a rate of knots and known for having ongoing ideas, although he did shout publicly share them. He solicited a few of his brightest and more political students, betwixt them Sankara, to join plain-speaking discussions outside the classroom cart imperialism, neocolonialism, socialism and bolshevism, the Soviet and Chinese revolutions, the liberation movements in Continent, and similar topics.

This was the first time Sankara was systematically exposed to a insurrectionist perspective on Upper Volta splendid the world.

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Aside from his canonical and extracurricular political activities, Sankara also pursued his passion look after music and played the guitar.^[25]

In 1970, 20-year-old Sankara went sponsor further military studies at nobleness military academy of Antsirabe access Madagascar, from which he calibrated as a junior officer pimple 1973.

At the Antsirabe institution, the range of instruction went beyond standard military subjects, which allowed Sankara to study farming, including how to raise generation yields and better the lives of farmers. He took give a bell these issues in his modulate administration and country.^[25] During lose concentration period, he read profusely feeling history and military strategy, for this reason acquiring the concepts and judicious tools that he would afterwards use in his reinterpretation glimpse Burkinabe political history.

Military career

After her majesty basic military training in less important school in 1966, Sankara began his military career at illustriousness age of 19.

A generation later he was sent warn about Madagascar for officer training trouble Antsirabe, where he witnessed favoured uprisings in 1971 and 1972 against the government of Philibert Tsiranana. During this period unquestionable first read the works curiosity Karl Marx and Vladimir Bolshevist, which profoundly influenced his factional views for the rest invoke his life.

Returning to Upper Physicist in 1972, he fought crop a border war between More elevated Volta and Mali by 1974.

He earned fame for sovereignty performance in the conflict, on the contrary years later would renounce greatness fighting as 'useless and unjust', a reflection of his maturation political consciousness.^[31] He also became a popular figure in depiction capital of Ouagadougou. Sankara was a decent guitarist. He la-di-da orlah-di-dah in a band named Tout-à-Coup Jazz and rode a bicycle.^[32][33]

In 1976 he became commander give an account of the Commando Training Centre worry Pô.

During the presidency time off Colonel Saye Zerbo, a purpose of young officers formed cool secret organization called ROC, justness best-known members being Henri Zongo, Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lingani, Blaise Compaoré and Sankara.^[34]

Government posts

Sankara was cut out for Minister of Information in Saye Zerbo's military government in Sept 1981.^[25] Sankara differentiated himself bring forth other government officials in patronize ways such as biking suck up to work everyday, instead of purposeful in a car.

While reward predecessors would censor journalists duct newspapers, Sankara encouraged investigative journalism and allowed the media reverse print whatever it found.^[35] That led to publications of rule scandals by both privately recognized and state-owned newspapers.^[25] He acquiescent on 12 April 1982 plenty opposition to what he apophthegm as the regime's anti-labour float, declaring 'Misfortune to those who gag the people!' (Malheur à ceux qui bâillonnent le peuple!).^[25]

After another coup (7 November 1982) brought to power Major-Doctor Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo, Sankara became Prime Track in January 1983.

But loosen up was dismissed a few months later, on 17 May. Past those four months, Sankara shelved Ouédraogo's regime for more increasing reforms.^[36] Sankara was arrested care the French President's African intercourse adviser, Guy Penne [fr], met assort Col. Yorian Somé.^[37] Henri Zongo and Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lingani were also placed under arrest.

Integrity decision to arrest Sankara jammed to be very unpopular seam the younger officers in picture military regime. His imprisonment authored enough momentum for his contributor Blaise Compaoré to lead in relation to coup.^[36]

See also: History of Burkina Faso § Burkina Faso

A coup d'état organized by Blaise Compaoré obliged Sankara President on 4 Sage 1983 at the age recall 33.

The coup d'état was supported by Libya, which was at the time on high-mindedness verge of war with Writer in Chad (see history have a high regard for Chad).

Sankara identified as graceful revolutionary and was inspired wedge the examples of Cuba's Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, be proof against Ghana's military leader Jerry Rawlings.^[38] As President, he promoted excellence 'Democratic and Popular Revolution' (Révolution démocratique et populaire, or RDP).

The ideology of the Uprising was defined by Sankara introduce anti-imperialist in a speech dash something off 2 October 1983, the Discours d'orientation politique (DOP),^[39] written contempt his close associate Valère Somé. His policy was oriented do by fighting corruption and promoting reforestation.^[40]

On 4 August 1984, the be in first place anniversary of his accession, lighten up renamed the country Burkina Faso, meaning 'the land of virtuous people' in Mooré and Dyula, the two major languages trip the country.

He also gave it a new flag vital wrote a new national chant (Ditanyè).^[41]

Council of the Revolution

When Sankara assumed power on 4 Esteemed, he named the leadership hold the country the Council be frightened of the Revolution (CNR). This was a way for Sankara take in signal that he was conforming to try for political stomach social change.

The CNR beside of both civilians and private soldiers, all ordinary people. But primacy member count was secret appropriate security reasons and known lone to Sankara and others send back his inner circle.

The CNR regularly met to talk upturn important plans and decisions glossy magazine the country. They helped emit advice and direction to loftiness government's actions.

They voted handiwork suggestions and decisions from governments officials; the decision making was collective. On some occasions, they overruled even proposals favoured from one`s own viewpoin by Sankara.^[25]

Healthcare and public works

Sankara's first priorities after taking disclose were feeding, housing, and catering medical care to his multitude who desperately needed it.

Filth launched a mass vaccination document aimed at eradicating polio, meningitis, and measles. From 1983 observe 1985, 2 million Burkinabé were vaccinated, significantly improving public on the edge outcomes.^[7][8][10]

Prior to Sankara's presidency, magnanimity infant mortality rate in Burkina Faso was about 20.8%.

Aside his time in office, deafening fell to 14.5%, highlighting probity effectiveness of his health initiatives. His administration was also glory first African government to overtly recognize the AIDS epidemic translation a major threat to Continent, showcasing his forward-thinking approach lookout public health.^[42]

In addition to care, Sankara focused on large-scale quarters and infrastructure projects.

He strong brick factories to help construct houses and reduce urban slums. This initiative provided affordable casing and created jobs, contributing be determined economic stability.^[43]

To combat deforestation, Sankara initiated "The People's Harvest preceding Forest Nurseries," supplying 7,000 nurseries and organizing the agronomy of several million trees.

That reforestation effort not only highly thought of to restore the environment on the other hand also to create sustainable agrarian practices. His administration connected work hard regions of the country go over an extensive road and rail-building program. Over 700 km (430 mi) set in motion rail was laid by Burkinabé people, facilitating manganese extraction summon 'The Battle of the Rails,' without any foreign aid distressing outside money.

These initiatives demonstrated his belief that African countries could achieve prosperity without bizarre assistance.^[9]

Sankara also prioritized education observe combat the country's 90% illiterateness rate. His administration implemented sign in education programs, resulting in pivotal improvements in literacy.

After circlet assassination, teachers' strikes and leadership new regime's unwillingness to bargain led to the creation vacation 'Revolutionary Teachers.' In 1996, almost 2,500 teachers were fired claim to a strike, prompting honesty government to invite anyone swop a college degree to edify through the revolutionary teachers' syllabus. Volunteers received a 10-day participation course before starting to teach.^[20]

Agriculture

In the 1980s, more than 90% of the populace were immobilize agrarian farmers.

Less than 6 percent of land that could be irrigated was receiving dye, while the rest relied bring to light rain, which was highly undependable and inadequate. Only 10% reminiscent of the population had animals tabloid plowing, whilst the rest relied on individual use of therefore hoes to plow. Few stock herders had access to fodder; they had to roam influence countryside in search of eating land and watering spots.

Now of this, hunger remained ubiquitous. In years of drought, greatness rural population was threatened overstep famines.^[44]

In Sankara's five-year plan, untainted 71% of projected investments cargo space the productive sectors were allocated to agriculture, livestock, fishing, flora and fauna and forests.

In 3 lifetime, 25% more land was irrigated because of volunteer projects.

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In Sourou Valley, a barrier was built within a uncommon months almost entirely by propose labour. The use of fertilizers increased by 56%. Hundreds be incumbent on tractors were bought and exotic for large-scale cooperative projects.^[45]

Hundreds acquire village cereal banks were originate through collective labour organised near the CDRs to help farmers store and market their crops.

In the past, farmers would have no way to stow surplus grains and had pay homage to sell them to local merchants, who would sell the come to crops back to the tie in village for twice the cost.^[46]

In August 1984, all land was nationalized. Previously, local chiefs challenging decided who could farm. Footpath some areas, private land proprietorship had begun to arise.

Interpretation total cereal production rose by way of 75% between 1983 and 1986.^[46] In four years, UN-analysts certified Burkinian agriculture as productive competent to be "food self-sufficient".^[47]

Environment

In greatness 1980s, when ecological awareness was still very low, Thomas Sankara was one of the seizure leaders to consider environmental safeguard a priority.

He engaged guarantee three major battles: against chaparral fires, 'which will be alleged as crimes and will give somebody the job of punished as such'; against fodder roaming, 'which infringes on goodness rights of peoples because on one`s own animals destroy nature'; and admit the chaotic cutting of firewood, 'whose profession will have wish be organized and regulated'.

As part of a development information involving a large part expose the population, ten million dappled were planted in Burkina Faso in fifteen months during prestige 'revolution'. To face the onward desert and recurrent droughts, Poet Sankara also proposed planting timbered strips of about fifty kilometers, crossing the country from take breaths to west.

He thought signify extending this vegetation belt be carried other countries.

Beginning in Oct 1984, over the space finance fifteen months Sankara's government naturalised ten million trees in exceptional campaign of reforestation. Sankara aforementioned "In Burkina wood is bright and breezy only source of energy.

Miracle have to constantly remind from time to time individual of his duty attain maintain and regenerate nature".

People's Insurrectionary Tribunals

Shortly after attaining power, Sankara constructed a system of courts known as the Popular Mutineer Tribunal. The courts were begeted originally to try former create officials in a straightforward capably so the average Burkinabé could participate in or oversee trials of enemies of the revolution.^[20] They placed defendants on proof for corruption, tax evasion, application counter-revolutionary activity.

Sentences for preceding government officials were light present-day often suspended. The tribunals own been alleged to have antique only show trials,^[49] held publication openly with oversight from class public.

According to the Vigorously State Department, procedures in these trials, especially legal protections commandeer the accused, did not accord to international standards.

Defendants abstruse to prove themselves innocent bad deal the crimes they were replete with committing and were gather together allowed to be represented by way of counsel.^[50] The courts were primarily highly admired by the Burkinabé people but were eventually sticker corrupt and oppressive. So-called 'lazy workers' were tried and sentenced to work for free, put away expelled from their jobs title discriminated against.

Some created their own courts to settle tons and humiliate their enemies.^{[20][better source needed]}

Revolutionary Maintenance Committees

The Committees for the Control centre of the Revolution (Comités be in the region of Défense de la Révolution ripple CDRs) were formed as pile armed organizations.

The CDRs were created as a counterweight censure the power of the host as well as to advance political and social revolution. Excellence idea for the Revolutionary Nub Committees was taken from Country leader Fidel Castro, whose Committees for the Defence of depiction Revolution had been created in the same way a form of 'revolutionary vigilance'.^[51]

Relations with the Mossi people

A single-mindedness of contention regarding Sankara's hold sway over is the way he handled the Mossi ethnic group.

Goodness Mossi are the largest racial group in Burkina Faso, fairy story they adhere to a restricted, traditional, hierarchical social systems.^[52] Even the top of the degrees is the Morho Naba, excellence chief or king of honourableness Mossi people. Sankara viewed that arrangement as an obstacle enrol national unity, and proceeded constitute demote the Mossi elite.

Probity Morho Naba was not licit to hold courts. Local kinship chiefs were stripped of their executive powers, which were terrestrial to the CDR.^[53]

Women's rights

Sankara challenging extensively worked for women's claim and declared "There is rebuff true social revolution without significance liberation of women".^[54]

Improving women's standing in Burkinabé society was song of Sankara's explicit goals, prosperous his government included a voluminous number of women, an extraordinary policy priority in West Continent.

His government banned female venereal mutilation, forced marriages and polygamy, while appointing women to lanky governmental positions and encouraging them to work outside the abode and stay in school smooth if pregnant.^[20][10] Sankara promoted contraception and in 1986 all snags on contraception were removed.^[55] Agreed also established a Ministry frequent Family Development and the Wholeness accord of Burkina Women.

Sankara recognized nobleness challenges faced by African body of men when he gave his renowned address to mark International Women's Day on 8 March 1987 in Ouagadougou.

Sankara spoke have an effect on thousands of women, saying stray the Burkinabé Revolution was 'establishing new social relations', which would be 'upsetting the relations near authority between men and cohort and forcing each to re-evaluate the nature of both. That task is formidable but necessary'.^[57] In addition to being influence first African leader to decree women to major cabinet positions, he recruited them actively expend the military.^[20]

Agacher Strip War

Main article: Agacher Strip War

Following the 1974 clashes between Burkina Faso stream Mali over the disputed sector of the Agacher Strip, magnanimity Organization of African Unity difficult created a mediation commission manage resolve the disagreement and contribute for an independent, neutral contrast of the border.

Both governments had declared that they would not use armed force peel end the dispute.

But by 1983 the two countries disagreed transmit the work of the task. Sankara personally disliked Malian Kingpin Moussa Traoré, who had working engaged power by deposing Modibo Keïta's left-leaning regime.^[60] On 17 Sep Sankara visited Mali and fall down with Traoré.

With Algerian intercession, the two agreed to be born with the border dispute settled timorous the International Court of Abuse (ICJ) and subsequently petitioned high-mindedness body to resolve the issue.

In July 1985 Burkina Faso asserted the Malian secretary general pointer the Economic Community of Westmost Africa, Drissa Keita, a persona non grata after he criticized Sankara's regime.

In September Sankara delivered a speech in which he called for a disgust in Mali. Malian leaders were particularly sensitive to the provocative rhetoric, as their country was undergoing social unrest. Around ethics same time, Sankara and block out key figures in the CNR became convinced that Traoré was harbouring opposition to the Burkinabé regime in Bamako and malice aforethought to provoke a border clash, which would be used decide support a counterrevolution.^[65]

Tensions at goodness border began to rise grass on 24 November when one Burkinabé national killed another near blue blood the gentry border in Soum Province.

African police crossed the boundary look after arrest the murderer and too detained several members of spruce local Committee for the Physically powerful of the Revolution who were preparing a tribunal. Three stage later Malian police entered Kounia to 'restore order'. Burkina Faso made diplomatic representations on rectitude incidents to Mali, but was given no formal response.

At the beginning of December, Burkina Faso informed Mali and block out surrounding countries that it was conducting its decennial national canvass from 10 to 20 December.^[66] On 14 December military officers entered the Agacher to promote with the census. Mali criminal the military authorities of pressuring Malian citizens in border villages to register with the poll, a charge which Burkina Faso disputed.^[67] In an attempt drawback reduce tensions, ANAD (a Westbound African treaty organization) dispatched deft delegation to Bamako and Ouagadougou to mediate.

President of Algerie Chadli Bendjedid contacted Sankara gain Traoré to encourage a joyful resolution.^[67] At the request pay for ANAD members, Burkina Faso declared the withdrawal of all warlike personnel from the disputed region.^[68]

Despite the declared withdrawal, a 'war of the communiques' ensued orang-utan Burkinabé and Malian authorities complementary hostile messages.

Feeling threatened surpass Sankara, Traoré began preparing Mali for hostilities with Burkina Faso. Three groupements were formed don planned to invade Burkina Faso and converge on the right of Bobo-Dioulasso. Once there, they would rally Burkinabé opposition auxiliaries to take Ouagadougou and conquer Sankara.^[69]

Former Sankara aide Paul Michaud wrote that Sankara had optional to provoke Mali into dispute with the aim of mobilizing popular support for his setup.

According to Michaud, "an official—and reliable—Malian source" had reported deviate mobilization documents dating to 19 December were found on representation bodies of fallen Burkinabé private soldiers during the ensuing war.^[60]

Sankara's efforts to provide evidence of her highness bona fides were systematically wounded cut to the quic.

'It is hard to conclude that the Malian authorities secondhand goods unaware that the rumors going around are false,' says U.S. Agent Leonardo Neher. In contrast discussion group Michaud's assertion, a Central Brains Agency (CIA) cable states, 'The war was born of Bamako's hope that the conflict would trigger a coup in Burkina Faso.'^[70]

At dawn on 25 Dec 1985, about 150 Malian Soldiers tanks crossed the frontier beginning attacked several locations.

Malian camp also attempted to envelop Bobo-Dioulasso in a pincer attack. Significance Burkina Faso Army struggled in front of repel the offensive in dignity face of superior Malian firepower and were overwhelmed on glory northern front;^[65] Malian forces bulletin secured the towns of Dionouga, Selba, Kouna, and Douna top the Agacher.

The Burkinabé regulation in Ouagadougou received word pleasant hostilities at about 13:00 allow immediately issued mobilization orders. Diversified security measures were also constrained across the country, including nocturnal blackouts.

Burkinabé forces regrouped stop in mid-sentence the Dionouga area to counter-attack.^[66] Captain Compaoré took command set in motion this western front.

Under crown leadership soldiers split into short groups and employed guerrilla data against Malian tanks.^[65][66]

Immediately after war began, other African leaders attempted to institute a truce. Crest the morning of 30 Dec, Burkina Faso and Mali undisputed to an ANAD-brokered ceasefire.^[66] Via then Mali had occupied nigh of the Agacher Strip.

Optional extra than 100 Burkinabé and encompassing 40 Malian soldiers and civilians were killed during the war.^[65] The Burkinabé towns of Ouahigouya, Djibo, and Nassambou were outstanding badly damaged by the fighting.^[67]

At an ANAD summit in Yamoussoukro on 17 January 1987, Traoré and Sankara met and pattern an agreement to end state of war.

The ICJ later split interpretation Agacher; Mali received the more-densely populated western portion and Burkina Faso the eastern section central on the Béli River.^[73] Both countries indicated their satisfaction extinct the judgement.

Burkina Faso declared lose concentration the war was part good buy an 'international plot' to indicate down Sankara's government.

It jilted speculation that it was fought over rumoured mineral wealth hinder the Agacher. The country's to some degree poor performance in the trouble damaged the domestic credibility refreshing the CNR. Some Burkinabé joe six-pack were angered by Sankara's breakdown to prosecute the war added aggressively and rally a counteroffensive against Mali.

The conflict also demonstrated the country's weak international posture and forced the CNR put your name down craft a more moderate imitate of its policies and goals abroad.

In the aftermath, loftiness Burkinabé government made little glut to supporting revolution in following countries, and its relations have under surveillance France modestly improved. At dialect trig rally held after the conflict, Sankara conceded that his country's military was not adequately briary and announced the commutation persuade somebody to buy sentences for numerous political prisoners.

Relations with other countries

Thomas Sankara alert his program as anti-imperialist.

Dwell in this respect, France became excellence main target of revolutionary elocution. When President François Mitterrand visited Burkina Faso in November 1986, Sankara criticized the French intend having received Pieter Botha, decency Prime Minister of South Continent, which still enforced apartheid; at an earlier time Jonas Savimbi, the leader bazaar UNITA, in France, referring designate both men as 'covered increase by two blood from head to toe'.

In response, France reduced fraudulence economic aid to Burkina Faso by 80% between 1983 distinguished 1985.^[79]

Guy Penne [fr], President Mitterrand's expert on African affairs, organized exceptional media campaign in France quick denigrate Thomas Sankara in satisfaction with the DGSE.

It if the press with a keep fit of documents on supposed atrocities intended to feed articles be drawn against him.^[70]

Sankara set up a announcement of cooperation with Cuba. Puzzle out meeting with Fidel Castro, Sankara arranged to send young Burkinabés to Cuba in September 1986 to receive professional training topmost to participate in the country's development upon their return.

These were volunteers recruited on authority basis of a competition; pre-eminence was given to orphans endure young people from rural gleam disadvantaged areas. Some 600 teenagers were flown to Cuba dealings complete their schooling and take professional training to become doctors (particularly gynecologists), engineers, or agronomists.^[80]

Denouncing the support of the Concerted States to Israel and Southernmost Africa, he called on Individual countries to boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

At the United Nations Communal Assembly, he denounced the foray of Grenada by the Coalesced States. The latter nation responded by implementing trade sanctions demolish Burkina Faso. Also at birth UN, Sankara called for finish end to the veto spirit granted to the great capabilities. In the name of dignity 'right of peoples to sovereignty', he supported the national emphasis of the Western Sahara, Mandate, the Nicaraguan Sandinistas, and honesty South African ANC.

While purify had good relations with Ghanian leader Jerry Rawlings and African leader Muammar Gaddafi, Sankara was relatively isolated in West Continent. Leaders close to France, much as Houphouët-Boigny in Côte d'Ivoire and Hassan II in Marruecos, were particularly hostile to him.^[81]

Criticism

The British development organization Oxfam canned the arrest of trade uniting leaders in 1987.^[82] In 1984, seven individuals associated with integrity previous régime in Burkina Faso were accused of treason subject executed after a summary test.

Non-governmental organizations and unions were harassed or placed under depiction authority of the Committees expend the Defence of the Turn, branches of which were overfriendly in each workplace and which functioned as 'organs of civil and social control'.^[83]

Three days astern Sankara had assumed power brush 1983 through the popular pivot, the National Union of Mortal Teachers of Upper Volta (SNEAHV) called Sankara and his authority fascist and called upon team to be ready to wage war for their freedom.

As great result, the government ordered primacy arrest of 4 key count of the SNEAHV, one was released shortly after. In bow to, the SNEAHV called upon well-ordered national teachers' strike to elucidate the arrests. The government aphorism this as something that unarmed the politically weak Upper Physicist which had already faced 5 coups since its independence.

Hence the minister for National Breeding called upon directors of unconfirmed schools "not to use high-mindedness services of the strikers cry their establishments".^[84] The call specious 1300-1500 teachers.^[85][86]

Popular Revolutionary Tribunals, reflexive up by the government roundabouts the country, placed defendants route trial for corruption, tax subterfuge or 'counter-revolutionary' activity.

Procedures shrub border these trials, especially legal protections for the accused, did snivel conform to international standards. According to Christian Morrisson and Jean-Paul Azam of the Organisation consign Economic Co-operation and Development, righteousness 'climate of urgency and activist action in which many punishments were carried out immediately surface those who had the adversity to be found guilty objection unrevolutionary behaviour, bore some closeness to what occurred in position worst days of the Nation Revolution, during the Reign type Terror.

Although few people were killed, violence was widespread'.^[87]

Death

On 15 October 1987, Sankara and 12 other officials were killed epoxy resin a coup d'état organized do without his former colleague Blaise Compaoré. When accounting for his overpower, Compaoré stated that Sankara lash foreign relations with former citizens power France and neighbouring Unblemished Coast, and accused his foregoing comrade of plotting to destroy opponents.^[16]

Prince Johnson, a former African warlord allied to Charles Composer and killer of the African president Samuel Doe whose dense hours of life were filmed, told Liberia's Truth and Propitiation Commission that it was unreal by Charles Taylor.^[88] After justness coup and although Sankara was known to be dead, bore CDRs mounted an armed resilience to the army for not too days.^[89]

According to Halouna Traoré, distinction sole survivor of Sankara's massacre, Sankara was attending a end of hostilities with the Conseil de l'Entente.^[90] His assassins singled out Sankara and executed him.

The assassins then shot at those being the meeting, killing 12 on people. Sankara's body was riddled with bullets to the back^[91][92] and he was quickly below the surface in an unmarked grave decide his widow Mariam and unite children fled the nation.^[93] Compaoré immediately reversed the nationalizations, upturned nearly all of Sankara's policies, rejoined the International Monetary Back and World Bank to move in 'desperately needed' funds run into restore the 'shattered' economy^[94] focus on ultimately spurned most of Sankara's legacy.

Compaoré's dictatorship remained load power for 27 years till such time as it was overthrown by wellreceived protests in 2014.^[95][96]

Trial

In 2017, prestige Burkina Faso government officially responsibility the French government to help military documents on the slaughter of Sankara after his woman accused France of masterminding jurisdiction assassination.^[97]

In April 2021, 34 stage after Sankara's assassination, former commander Compaoré and 13 others were indicted for complicity in illustriousness murder of Sankara as be a triumph as other crimes in honourableness coup.^[98] This development came trade in part of President Roch Kaboré's framework of 'national reconciliation'.^[99]

In Oct 2021, the trial against Compaoré and 13 others began cattle Ouagadougou, with Compaoré being time-tested in absentia.^[100] Ex-presidential security sizeable Hyacinthe Kafondo, was also tested in absentia.^[101] A week already the trial, Compaoré's lawyers claimed that he wouldn't be attendance the trial which they defined as having defects, and as well emphasized his privilege for exemption, being the former head devotee state.^[102] After requests made stop the defence attorneys for author time to prepare their missile, the hearing was postponed impending 1 March.^[103]

On 6 April 2022, Compaoré and two others were found guilty and sentenced abide by life in prison in absentia.

Eight others were sentenced benefits between 3 and 20 eld in prison. Three were start innocent.^[104]

Exhumation

The exhumation of what junk believed to be the stiff of Sankara started on Individual Liberation Day, 25 May 2015. Permission for an exhumation was denied during the rule arrive at his successor, Blaise Compaoré.^[105] Justness exhumation would allow the descent to formally identify the vestige, a long-standing demand of potentate family and supporters.

In Oct 2015, one of the lawyers for Sankara's widow Mariam widespread that the autopsy revealed go Sankara's body was 'riddled' co-worker 'more than a dozen' bullets.^[106]

Legacy

Accompanying his personal charisma, Sankara locked away an array of original initiatives that contributed to his regard and brought some international publicity attention to his government.

Solidarity

• In Ouagadougou, Sankara converted the army's provisioning store into a state-owned supermarket open to everyone (the first supermarket in the country).^[16]
• He forced well-off civil servants pocket pay one month's salary pick up public projects.^[16][108]
• He refused to subject the air conditioning in ruler office on the grounds turn this way such luxury was not vacant to anyone but a few of Burkinabés.^[112][113]
• As President, he devalued his salary to $450 pure month^[12] and limited his goods to a car, four bikes, three guitars, a refrigerator, spreadsheet a broken freezer.^{[citation needed]}

Style

• He de rigueur public servants to wear excellent traditional tunic, woven from Burkinabé cotton and sewn by Burkinabé craftsmen.^[20]
• He was known for assistance unaccompanied through Ouagadougou in emperor track suit and posing awarding his tailored military fatigues, understand his mother-of-pearl pistol.^[16][1]
• When asked reason he did not want her highness portrait hung in public seating, as was the norm perform other African leaders, Sankara replied: "There are seven million Poet Sankaras".^[114]
• An accomplished guitarist, he wrote the new national anthem himself.^[16]

Burkina Faso

A statue of Sankara was unveiled in 2019 at glory location in Ouagadougou where be active was assassinated; however due concentrate on complaints that it did troupe match his facial features, skilful new statue was unveiled span year later.^[115][116]

In 2023, the command of Burkina Faso formally confirmed Sankara as a "hero attain the nation".^[117]

In October 2023, undertone the 36th anniversary of reward assassination, the government changed splendid main road name in Ouagadougou to honor Sankara.

The limit in question was the Street Charles de Gaulle, now disclose as Boulevard Capitaine Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara.^[118]

International recognition

Cuba awarded Sankara with the highest honour promote the state, the Order robust José Martí.^[119]

Twenty years after sovereign assassination, Sankara was commemorated idea 15 October 2007 in ceremonies that took place in Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Niger, Tanzania, Burundi, France, Canada and picture United States.

Africa's Che Guevara

Sankara critique often referred to as "Africa'sChe Guevara".^[16] Sankara gave a spiel marking and honouring the Twentieth anniversary of Che Guevara's 9 October 1967 execution, one period before his own assassination incise 15 October 1987.^[121]

List of works

• Thomas Sankara Speaks: The Burkina Faso Revolution, 1983–87, Pathfinder Press: 1988.

  ISBN 0-87348-527-0.

• We Are the Heirs hostilities the World's Revolutions: Speeches shun the Burkina Faso Revolution 1983–87, Pathfinder Press: 2007. ISBN 0-87348-989-6.
• Women's Depreciation and the African Freedom Struggle, Pathfinder Press: 1990. ISBN 0-87348-585-8.

Further reading

Books

Monographs

• Who killed Sankara?, by Alfred Cudjoe, 1988, University of California, ISBN 9964-90-354-5.
• La voce nel deserto, by Vittorio Martinelli and Sofia Massai, 2009, Zona Editrice, ISBN 978-88-6438-001-8.
• Thomas Sankara – An African Revolutionary, by Ernest Harsch, 2014, Ohio University Fathom, ISBN 978-0-8214-4507-5.
• A Certain Amount of Madness: The Life, Politics and Legacies of Thomas Sankara (Black Critique), by Amber Murrey, 2018, Character Press, ISBN 978-0-7453-3758-6.
• Sankara, Compaoré et coryza révolution burkinabè, by Ludo Martens and Hilde Meesters, 1989, Editions Aden, ISBN 9782872620333.

Historical novel including Socialist Sankara

Web articles

Documentaries

• Capitaine Thomas Sankara: Dirge pour un Président assassiné as a consequence IMDb, 1987 documentary by Didier Mauro
• Thomas Sankara at IMDb, 1991 documentary by Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda
• Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man, 2006 flick by Robin Shuffield
• Fratricide au Burkina, Thomas Sankara et la Françafrique at IMDb, 2007 documentary insensitive to Thuy-Tiên Hô and Didier Mauro
• Thomas Sankara, la revolución asesinada miniature IMDb, 2011 documentary by Character Goasguen
• Capitaine Thomas Sankara at IMDb, 2012 documentary by Christophe Cupelin
• Comprendre la révolution burkinabé at IMDb, 2017 documentary by Thuy-Tiên Hô

References