Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso falls in the mid-range in three of Global State of Democracy’s categories of democratic performance (Rights, Rule of Law and Participation) and sits in the low range with regard to Representation. Over the last five years, there have been declines in several factors of Representation, Rights and Rule of Law. These were driven by a serious deterioration in the security and human rights situation and a recent coup. Despite this context, the country is a high performer in Freedom of Religion and Civic Engagement. Economically, Burkina Faso is largely dependent on subsistence agriculture, and it is an important exporter of gold and cotton. Over 80 per cent of the population lives in poverty, adult literacy is 46 per cent, and the country is among the lowest in the Human Development Index.
Present-day Burkina Faso was dominated by the powerful Mossi kingdoms prior to French colonization in the 19th century. It obtained independence (as Upper Volta) in 1960 and was renamed in 1984. Since then, the country’s political space has been marked by authoritarianism and marred by a long series of coups, including one in September 2022 that installed a military junta. In 2023, the military rulers thwarted another coup. These putsches mirror others in the Sahel in the same time period, most of which have their roots in poor governance based on clientelism and corruption, as well as in the poor security situation. From the time he took power in a 1987 coup until his downfall in 2014, Blaise Compaoré led Burkina Faso as its president. While his authoritarian rule was associated with relative stability in the country, his regime’s long dependence on complex patronage networks—reliant on chiefs—quickly gave way to conflict and insurgency subsequent to his resignation following mass protests.
Since 2014, ameliorating the poor security situation has come to be seen as Burkina Faso’s most urgent political challenge, as myriad attacks by Islamist rebels—many allied with ISIS—have resulted in countless human rights violations and civil deaths, along with mass internal displacement. While the 2015 and 2020 elections laid the groundwork for a functioning democracy, divides over economic control of gold mines and key trade routes have severely hampered the security situation.
Although religious tolerance has long been a widespread social value in the Sahelian nation, religion has become an increasingly important cleavage in recent years, as Muslims, who comprise 61 per cent of the population, note their underrepresentation in the civil service and government administration relative to Christians. Poor social services in the impoverished north of the country have also fueled a sense of economic abandonment, and in turn led to the rise of jihadist violence.
Gender divides are also salient in Burkina Faso; it is among the world’s bottom 25 per cent with regard to Gender Equality performance. Women face significant inequalities and disparities relative to men, and the ongoing armed violence has exacerbated incidences of gender-based violence. In 2021, a sex-for-food-aid scandal underscored the precarious social position of Burkinabé women. Furthermore, LGBTQIA+ people face stigma and humiliation.
Looking ahead, it will be important to watch Basic Welfare and Personal Integrity and Security, partially because of the continued insurgency. Representation will also be pivotal and dependent on a transition back to civilian rule.
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
May 2024
Newly amended charter extends junta rule
On 25 May, Burkina Faso’s transitional president, Ibrahim Traoré, signed into law an amended charter that extends the country’s military-led transition to democracy by up to five years. Under the previous charter, adopted in October 2022, shortly after the coup d’état that brought Traoré to power, the transition had been due to end on 1 July 2024, but elections have not been organised. The amended charter authorises the president to compete in the transitional elections and provides for the creation of a new organ called the ‘korag’, which is to ‘monitor and control the implementation of the country’s strategic vision in all areas and by all means.’ Its ‘composition, organisation and functioning’ are left to the discretion of the president. The amended charter was agreed in a consultative, national meeting attended by representatives of civil society, the military and some legislators in the transitional assembly but boycotted by most political parties.
Sources: Jeune Afrique, Amended Transitional Charter, 2024, Transitional Charter, 2022, France 24
April 2024
HRW report alleges massacre by army
A report published on 25 April by human rights NGO, Human Rights Watch, found that in February 2024 Burkina Faso’s army had massacred 223 civilians. According to HRW, whose findings were based on witness testimony and verified video footage and photographs, soldiers had carried out the massacre in two villages in Burkina Faso’s northern, Yatenga province, an area of the country affected by an ongoing civil conflict between the government and Islamist rebels. The killings followed attacks by the rebels on military targets during the preceding two days and HRW alleged that they were part of a retaliatory campaign against civilians suspected of collaborating with the Islamists. The report described the massacre as ‘among the worst army abuse in Burkina Faso since 2015’ and suggested that it may amount to crimes against humanity.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, The Guardian
Burkina Faso suspends access to foreign media over massacre report
In late April, Burkina Faso blocked access to the websites of a growing list of foreign media outlets over their coverage of a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report accusing its army of massacring 223 civilians in February 2024. Among those outlets affected were the BBC, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, Le Monde and The Guardian, some of which have been suspended indefinitely. Burkina Faso’s media regulator, the Superior Council of Communication (Le Conseil supérieur de la communication, CSC), justified the suspensions on the basis that the report constituted ‘disinformation likely to bring discredit to the Burkinabè army.’
Sources: Jeune Afrique, Human Rights Watch, Voice of America, British Broadcasting Corporation
November 2023
Military government uses conscription to target political opponents
Burkina Faso remains engaged in an intense internal war with Islamist groups. Part of the military government’s response has been to use an emergency decree that gives the government the power to requisition equipment and conscript people into military service. However, in November, trade union leaders and other civil society activists asserted that the government was using conscription to particularly target them, as well as journalists and members of opposition parties. Human rights organizations described the conscription notices as an abuse of emergency legislation to suppress dissent.
Sources: Faso7, Jeune Afrique, Human Rights Watch
As many as one hundred civilians massacred in attack on northern village
In one of the worst single incidents of violence targeted against civilians in Burkina Faso this year, as many as one hundred people were killed in an attack on Zaongo, a village in north-central Burkina Faso. Reports from media organizations and statements from the United Nations, European Union, and United States did not identify the group responsible for the massacre.
Sources: Jeune Afrique, Cable News Network, International Crisis Group
May 2023
Massacre attributed to government soldiers
On 20 April, 147 civilians (including many women and children) were killed in the village of Karma in the north of Burkina Faso. Survivors of the massacre and international human rights organizations have reported that the perpetrators of the atrocity were uniformed members of the Burkinabe military. The military junta condemned the attack and claimed that it could have been carried out by militants who had stolen equipment from the military. A local prosecutor has begun an investigation.
Sources: Amnesty International, Voice of America (1), Voice of America (2), Africa News, Anadolu Agency
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GSoD Indices Data 2014-2023
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