Burkina Faso: BBC and Voice of America suspended for discussing hundreds of civilians killed by army

By:Souleymane Loum 

 The coup regime led by Captain Ibrahima Traoré in Burkina Faso hushed the BBC and Voice of America radio stations for doing their work, nothing more, nothing less: handling a Human Rights Watch report on a mass killing committed by the army Burkinabe, almost 223 civilian victims including 56 children all the same…

Government spokesperson Tonssira Myrian Corine Sanou reported on, Thursday, April 25 in the evening that the two radio stations would be shut for two weeks. Other media would suffer the same fate if they unfortunately reported these abuses, cautioned Ms. Sanou. Here we are in Burkina Faso: A total omerta on all angry subjects.

This is not how the country will see its way back to constitutional order, much less proper elections to return power to civilians. Besides, Captain Traoré doesn’t even speak about it, the return of soldiers to the barracks to take care exclusively of the security of the Burkinabé is the least of the junta’s worries. They are doing everything except preparing for the end of the post-coup transition. While Burkina Faso is not the only one, the Malian junta furthermore muzzles all dissenting voices and clings to power, the same for Guinea and Niger.

According to the report published on Thursday by Human Rights Watch, the army murdered hundreds of civilians in villages because they cooperated with the militants, just for that. The life of the Burkinabé is as frail as that, but no one should say that. The report was widely covered by the international press, notably the Associated Press.

But for Voice of America, there is no question of backing down from the iron fist of the regime: “VOA sustains its reporting on Burkina Faso and intends to continue to completely and fairly cover activities in the country,” asserted the channel in a press article which announced his suspension. It pledges some great fights between the international media and the putschists…

But the fate of these countries relies on their civil societies, it is up to them to forge the national destiny. Their silence will constitute consent, and in this case, no one will be able to dictate to the authorities their course. The time when democracy is parachuted at the same time as bombs is over, Iraq and Libya have been there. No one will make the Burkinabé, Malians, Guineans and Nigeriens happy in their place.