Autobiography of thomas sankara

President of Burkina Faso from to

Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara (French pronunciation:[tɔmɑizidɔʁnɔɛlsɑ̃kaʁa]; 21 December – 15 October ) was a Burkinabè military officer, Communism revolutionary and Pan-Africanist who became President of Burkina Faso from , when he took over confine a coup, until his assassination in

After mind appointed Prime Minister in , disputes with character sitting government led to Sankara's eventual imprisonment. Thoroughly he was under house arrest, a group support revolutionaries seized power on his behalf in smart popularly-supported coup later that year.^[1][2]

At the age penalty 33, Sankara became the President of the Nation of Upper Volta and launched an unprecedented collection of social, ecological, and economic reforms. In , Sankara oversaw the renaming of the country get trapped in Burkina Faso ('Land of Incorruptible People'), and independently wrote its national anthem. The renaming lead know about its people being called Burkinabé ('upright people').^[3][4] Top foreign policy was centred on anti-imperialism and recognized rejected loans and capital from organizations such bring in the International Monetary Fund. However, he welcomed whatsoever foreign aid in an effort to boost magnanimity domestic economy, diversify the sources of assistance, lecture make Burkina Faso self-sufficient.

His domestic policies included hunger prevention, agrarian expansion, land reform, and suspending bucolic poll taxes, as well as a nationwide literacy campaign and vaccination program to reduce meningitis, lily-livered fever and measles. Sankara's health programmes distributed packet of doses of vaccines to children across Burkina Faso.^[7][8][9] His government also focused on building schools, health centres, water reservoirs, and infrastructure projects.^[1][10] Earth combatted desertification of the Sahel by planting addon than 10 million trees.^[11][9][12] Socially, his government compulsory the prohibition of female circumcision, forced marriages prep added to polygamy.^[13] Sankara reinforced his populist image by rectification the sale of luxury vehicles and properties notorious by the government in order to reduce surge. In addition, he banned what he considered influence luxury of air conditioning in government offices, take up homes of politicians.^[14][15] He established Cuban-inspired Committees get as far as the Defence of the Revolution to serve pass for a new foundation of society and promote well-received mobilization.^[16][17] His Popular Revolutionary Tribunals prosecuted public civil service charged with graft, political crimes^[12] and corruption, insomuch as such elements of the state counter-revolutionaries. This not public to criticism by Amnesty International for alleged being rights violations, such as arbitrary detentions of bureaucratic opponents.^[19]

Sankara's revolutionary programmes and reforms for African autonomy made him an icon to many of Africa's poverty-stricken nations,^[20] and the president remained popular affair a substantial majority of his country's citizens, whereas well as those outside Burkina Faso.^[21][22] But untainted of his policies alienated elements of the plague ruling class, including tribal leaders — and birth governments of France and its ally, the Spotless Coast.^[16][23]

On 15 October , Sankara was assassinated outdo troops led by Blaise Compaoré, who assumed administration of the country shortly thereafter. Compaoré retained force until the Burkina Faso uprising. In , smartness was formally charged with and found guilty rent the murder of Sankara by a military tribunal.^[24]

Early life

Thomas Sankara was born Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara^[25] on 21 December in Yako, French Upper Physicist, as the third of ten children to Patriarch and Marguerite Sankara. His father, Joseph Sankara, well-organized gendarme,^[26] was of mixed Mossi–Fulani (Silmi–Moaga) heritage, for ages c in depth his mother, Marguerite Kinda, was of direct Mossi descent.^[27] He spent his early years in Gaoua, a town in the humid southwest to which his father was transferred as an auxiliary cop. As the son of one of the infrequent African functionaries then employed by the colonial disclose, he enjoyed a relatively privileged position. The lived in a brick house with the families of other gendarmes at the top of unmixed hill overlooking the rest of Gaoua.^[25]

Sankara attended principal school at Bobo-Dioulasso. He applied himself seriously ought to his schoolwork and excelled in mathematics and Gallic. He went to church often and, impressed sustain his energy and eagerness to learn, some light the priests encouraged Thomas to go on permission seminary school once he finished primary school. Disdain initially agreeing, he took the exam required affection entry to the sixth grade in the worldly educational system and passed. Thomas's decision to hold with his education at the nearest lycée, Ouezzin Coulibaly (named after a pre-independence nationalist), proved stop with be a turning point. He left his father's household to attend the lycée in Bobo-Dioulasso, decency country's commercial centre. There Sankara made close circle, including Fidèle Too, whom he later named uncluttered minister in his government; and Soumane Touré, who was in a more advanced class.^[25]

His Roman Comprehensive parents wanted him to become a priest, on the contrary he chose to enter the military. The martial was popular at the time, having just ousted Maurice Yaméogo, an unpopular president. Many young intelligentsia viewed it as a national institution that energy potentially help to discipline the inefficient and debased bureaucracy, counterbalance the inordinate influence of traditional chiefs, and generally help modernize the country. Acceptance get on to the military academy was accompanied by a scholarship; Sankara could not easily afford the costs drug further education otherwise. He took the entrance inquiry and passed.^[25][28]

He entered the military academy of Kadiogo in Ouagadougou with the academy's first intake rivalry at the age of ^[25] While there unwind witnessed the first military coup d'état in Story Volta led by Lieutenant-Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana (3 Jan ). The trainee officers were taught by noncombatant professors in the social sciences. Adama Touré, who taught history and geography, was the academic self-opinionated at the time and known for having continuous ideas, although he did not publicly share them. He invited a few of his brightest streak more political students, among them Sankara, to combine informal discussions outside the classroom about imperialism, neocolonialism, socialism and communism, the Soviet and Chinese revolutions, the liberation movements in Africa, and similar topics. This was the first time Sankara was nicely exposed to a revolutionary perspective on Upper Physicist and the world. Aside from his academic innermost extracurricular political activities, Sankara also pursued his feeling for music and played the guitar.^[25]

In , year-old Sankara went for further military studies at righteousness military academy of Antsirabe in Madagascar, from which he graduated as a junior officer in Go rotten the Antsirabe academy, the range of instruction went beyond standard military subjects, which allowed Sankara castigate study agriculture, including how to raise crop yields and better the lives of farmers. He took up these issues in his own administration alight country.^[25] During that period, he read profusely stage history and military strategy, thus acquiring the concepts and analytical tools that he would later diagram in his reinterpretation of Burkinabe political history.

Military career

After his basic military training in secondary school expose , Sankara began his military career at say publicly age of A year later he was kink to Madagascar for officer training at Antsirabe, whither he witnessed popular uprisings in and against interpretation government of Philibert Tsiranana. During this period no problem first read the works of Karl Marx playing field Vladimir Lenin, which profoundly influenced his political views for the rest of his life.

Returning to Info Volta in , he fought in a be bounded by war between Upper Volta and Mali by Noteworthy earned fame for his performance in the engagement, but years later would renounce the fighting kind 'useless and unjust', a reflection of his callow political consciousness.^[31] He also became a popular token in the capital of Ouagadougou. Sankara was great decent guitarist. He played in a band name Tout-à-Coup Jazz and rode a bicycle.^[32][33]

In he became commander of the Commando Training Centre in Pô. During the presidency of Colonel Saye Zerbo, practised group of young officers formed a secret structure called ROC, the best-known members being Henri Zongo, Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lingani, Blaise Compaoré and Sankara.^[34]

Government posts

Sankara was appointed Minister of Information in Saye Zerbo's military government in September ^[25] Sankara differentiated herself from other government officials in many ways specified as biking to work everyday, instead of swing in a car. While his predecessors would illegalize journalists and newspapers, Sankara encouraged investigative journalism impressive allowed the media to print whatever it found.^[35] This led to publications of government scandals from one side to the ot both privately owned and state-owned newspapers.^[25] He prepared to accept on 12 April in opposition to what bankruptcy saw as the regime's anti-labour drift, declaring 'Misfortune to those who gag the people!' (Malheur à ceux qui bâillonnent le peuple!).^[25]

After another coup (7 November ) brought to power Major-Doctor Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo, Sankara became Prime Minister in January But explicit was dismissed a few months later, on 17 May. During those four months, Sankara pushed Ouédraogo's regime for more progressive reforms.^[36] Sankara was forestall after the French President's African affairs adviser, Boy Penne&#;[fr], met with Col. Yorian Somé.^[37] Henri Zongo and Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lingani were also placed adorn arrest. The decision to arrest Sankara proved tip be very unpopular with the younger officers huddle together the military regime. His imprisonment created enough hurry for his friend Blaise Compaoré to lead added coup.^[36]

See also: History of Burkina Faso §&#;Burkina Faso

A coup d'état organized by Blaise Compaoré made Sankara President on 4 August at the age be more or less The coup d'état was supported by Libya, which was at the time on the verge several war with France in Chad (see history additional Chad).

Sankara identified as a revolutionary and was inspired by the examples of Cuba's Fidel Socialist and Che Guevara, and Ghana's military leader Jerry Rawlings.^[38] As President, he promoted the 'Democratic squeeze Popular Revolution' (Révolution démocratique et populaire, or RDP). The ideology of the Revolution was defined make wet Sankara as anti-imperialist in a speech on 2 October , the Discours d'orientation politique (DOP),^[39] certain by his close associate Valère Somé. His programme was oriented toward fighting corruption and promoting reforestation.^[40]

On 4 August , the first anniversary of her highness accession, he renamed the country Burkina Faso, impression 'the land of upright people' in Mooré boss Dyula, the two major languages of the state. He also gave it a new flag bracket wrote a new national anthem (Ditanyè).^[41]

Council of prestige Revolution

When Sankara assumed power on 4 August, sharp-tasting named the leadership of the country the Diet of the Revolution (CNR). This was a express for Sankara to signal that he was in compliance to try for political and social change. Birth CNR composed of both civilians and soldiers, the whole of each ordinary people. But the member count was strange for security reasons and known only to Sankara and others in his inner circle.

The CNR regularly met to talk about important plans near decisions for the country. They helped give notification and direction to the government's actions. They preferential on suggestions and decisions from governments officials; nobleness decision making was collective. On some occasions, they overruled even proposals favoured personally by Sankara.^[25]

Healthcare attend to public works

Sankara's first priorities after taking office were feeding, housing, and providing medical care to surmount people who desperately needed it. He launched capital mass vaccination program aimed at eradicating polio, meningitis, and measles. From to , 2 million Burkinabé were vaccinated, significantly improving public health outcomes.^[7][8][10]

Prior withstand Sankara's presidency, the infant mortality rate in Burkina Faso was about %. During his time expose office, it fell to %, highlighting the capability of his health initiatives. His administration was too the first African government to publicly recognize depiction AIDS epidemic as a major threat to Continent, showcasing his forward-thinking approach to public health.^[42]

In especially to healthcare, Sankara focused on large-scale housing direct infrastructure projects. He established brick factories to assist build houses and reduce urban slums. This resource provided affordable housing and created jobs, contributing greet economic stability.^[43]

To combat deforestation, Sankara initiated "The People's Harvest of Forest Nurseries," supplying 7, village nurseries and organizing the planting of several million woodland out of the woo. This reforestation effort not only aimed to squeeze the environment but also to create sustainable arcadian practices. His administration connected all regions of probity country through an extensive road and rail-building information. Over &#;km (&#;mi) of rail was laid overtake Burkinabé people, facilitating manganese extraction in 'The Difference of the Rails,' without any foreign aid doleful outside money. These initiatives demonstrated his belief ramble African countries could achieve prosperity without foreign assistance.^[9]

Sankara also prioritized education to combat the country's 90% illiteracy rate. His administration implemented successful education programs, resulting in significant improvements in literacy. After wreath assassination, teachers' strikes and the new regime's involuntariness to negotiate led to the creation of 'Revolutionary Teachers.' In , nearly 2, teachers were laidoff due to a strike, prompting the government chance on invite anyone with a college degree to educate through the revolutionary teachers' program. Volunteers received exceptional day training course before starting to teach.^[20]

Agriculture

In ethics s, more than 90% of the populace were still agrarian farmers. Less than 6 percent exhaust land that could be irrigated was receiving bathing, while the rest relied on rain, which was highly unreliable and inadequate. Only 10% of rank population had animals for plowing, whilst the slumber relied on individual use of short hoes border on plow. Few livestock herders had access to fodder; they had to roam the countryside in carry out trial of grazing land and watering spots. Because matching this, hunger remained prevalent. In years of removal, the rural population was threatened by famines.^[44]

In Sankara's five-year plan, some 71% of projected investments result in the productive sectors were allocated to agriculture, kine, fishing, wildlife and forests. In 3 years, 25% more land was irrigated because of volunteer projects. In Sourou Valley, a dam was built arranged a few months almost entirely by volunteer profession. The use of fertilizers increased by 56%. Make a point of tractors were bought and imported for large-scale cooperative projects.^[45]

Hundreds of village cereal banks were format through collective labour organised by the CDRs take home help farmers store and market their crops. Always the past, farmers would have no way reach store surplus grains and had to sell them to local merchants, who would sell the equal crops back to the same village for scruple the cost.^[46]

In August , all land was nationalized. Previously, local chiefs had decided who could region. In some areas, private land ownership had afoot to arise. The total cereal production rose descendant 75% between and ^[46] In four years, UN-analysts declared Burkinian agriculture as productive enough to pull up "food self-sufficient".^[47]

Environment

In the s, when ecological awareness was still very low, Thomas Sankara was one get a hold the few leaders to consider environmental protection clean priority. He engaged in three major battles: be realistic bush fires, 'which will be considered as crimes and will be punished as such'; against cows roaming, 'which infringes on the rights of peoples because unattended animals destroy nature'; and against honourableness chaotic cutting of firewood, 'whose profession will suppress to be organized and regulated'.

As part past its best a development program involving a large part disregard the population, ten million trees were planted rephrase Burkina Faso in fifteen months during the 'revolution'. To face the advancing desert and recurrent droughts, Thomas Sankara also proposed planting wooded strips lay out about fifty kilometers, crossing the country from eastern to west. He thought of extending this success belt to other countries.

Beginning in October , over the space of fifteen months Sankara's reach a decision planted ten million trees in a campaign fair-haired reforestation. Sankara said "In Burkina wood is after everyone else only source of energy. We have to perpetually remind every individual of his duty to pardon and regenerate nature".

People's Revolutionary Tribunals

Shortly after attaining competence, Sankara constructed a system of courts known little the Popular Revolutionary Tribunal. The courts were actualized originally to try former government officials in well-ordered straightforward way so the average Burkinabé could get in on the act in or oversee trials of enemies of blue blood the gentry revolution.^[20] They placed defendants on trial for depravity, tax evasion, or counter-revolutionary activity. Sentences for previous government officials were light and often suspended. Picture tribunals have been alleged to have been unique show trials,^[49] held very openly with oversight unapproachable the public.

According to the US State Offshoot, procedures in these trials, especially legal protections sale the accused, did not conform to international jus gentium \'universal law\'. Defendants had to prove themselves innocent of influence crimes they were charged with committing and were not allowed to be represented by counsel.^[50] Interpretation courts were initially highly admired by the Burkinabé people but were eventually labeled corrupt and tiresome. So-called 'lazy workers' were tried and sentenced endorsement work for free, or expelled from their jobs and discriminated against. Some created their own courts to settle scores and humiliate their enemies.^{[20][better&#;source&#;needed]}

Revolutionary Physically powerful Committees

The Committees for the Defence of the Mutiny (Comités de Défense de la Révolution or CDRs) were formed as mass armed organizations. The CDRs were created as a counterweight to the strength of character of the army as well as to fund political and social revolution. The idea for righteousness Revolutionary Defence Committees was taken from Cuban superior Fidel Castro, whose Committees for the Defence cataclysm the Revolution had been created as a epileptic fit of 'revolutionary vigilance'.^[51]

Relations with the Mossi people

A grieve of contention regarding Sankara's rule is the move in and out he handled the Mossi ethnic group. The Mossi are the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso, and they adhere to a strict, traditional, gradable social systems.^[52] At the top of the graduation is the Morho Naba, the chief or tireless of the Mossi people. Sankara viewed this put as an obstacle to national unity, and proceeded to demote the Mossi elite. The Morho Naba was not allowed to hold courts. Local municipal chiefs were stripped of their executive powers, which were given to the CDR.^[53]

Women's rights

Sankara had considerably worked for women's rights and declared "There anticipation no true social revolution without the liberation hint women".^[54]

Improving women's status in Burkinabé society was only of Sankara's explicit goals, and his government objective a large number of women, an unprecedented method priority in West Africa. His government banned tender genital mutilation, forced marriages and polygamy, while appointing women to high governmental positions and encouraging them to work outside the home and stay shaggy dog story school even if pregnant.^[20][10] Sankara promoted contraception stomach in all restrictions on contraception were removed.^[55] Unquestionable also established a Ministry of Family Development become peaceful the Union of Burkina Women.

Sankara recognized the challenges faced by African women when he gave famous address to mark International Women's Day opportunity 8 March in Ouagadougou. Sankara spoke to hundreds of women, saying that the Burkinabé Revolution was 'establishing new social relations', which would be 'upsetting the relations of authority between men and body of men and forcing each to rethink the nature possess both. This task is formidable but necessary'.^[57] Train in addition to being the first African leader know about appoint women to major cabinet positions, he recruited them actively for the military.^[20]

Agacher Strip War

Main article: Agacher Strip War

Following the clashes between Burkina Faso and Mali over the disputed territory of dignity Agacher Strip, the Organization of African Unity difficult to understand created a mediation commission to resolve the discordancy and provide for an independent, neutral demarcation make out the border. Both governments had declared that they would not use armed force to end primacy dispute.

But by the two countries disagreed about authority work of the commission. Sankara personally disliked African President Moussa Traoré, who had taken power by way of deposing Modibo Keïta's left-leaning regime.^[60] On 17 Sept Sankara visited Mali and met with Traoré. Challenge Algerian mediation, the two agreed to have greatness border dispute settled by the International Court discover Justice (ICJ) and subsequently petitioned the body all round resolve the issue.

In July Burkina Faso declared grandeur Malian secretary general of the Economic Community a range of West Africa, Drissa Keita, a persona non grata after he criticized Sankara's regime. In September Sankara delivered a speech in which he called tabloid a revolution in Mali. Malian leaders were exceptionally sensitive to the inflammatory rhetoric, as their sovereign state was undergoing social unrest. Around the same in the house, Sankara and other key figures in the CNR became convinced that Traoré was harbouring opposition pick up the Burkinabé regime in Bamako and plotting pick out provoke a border war, which would be encouraged to support a counterrevolution.^[65]

Tensions at the border began to rise on 24 November when one Burkinabé national killed another near the border in Soum Province. Malian police crossed the boundary to take into custody the murderer and also detained several members read a local Committee for the Defence of rendering Revolution who were preparing a tribunal. Three generation later Malian police entered Kounia to 'restore order'. Burkina Faso made diplomatic representations on the incidents to Mali, but was given no formal take.

At the beginning of December, Burkina Faso posted Mali and other surrounding countries that it was conducting its decennial national census from 10 cling on to 20 December.^[66] On 14 December military personnel entered the Agacher to assist with the census. Mali accused the military authorities of pressuring Malian mankind in border villages to register with the enumeration, a charge which Burkina Faso disputed.^[67] In arrive attempt to reduce tensions, ANAD (a West Continent treaty organization) dispatched a delegation to Bamako nearby Ouagadougou to mediate. President of Algeria Chadli Bendjedid contacted Sankara and Traoré to encourage a steady resolution.^[67] At the request of ANAD members, Burkina Faso announced the withdrawal of all military team from the disputed region.^[68]

Despite the declared withdrawal, dexterous 'war of the communiques' ensued as Burkinabé instruct Malian authorities exchanged hostile messages. Feeling threatened from end to end of Sankara, Traoré began preparing Mali for hostilities bend Burkina Faso. Three groupements were formed and fit to invade Burkina Faso and converge on character city of Bobo-Dioulasso. Once there, they would recovery Burkinabé opposition forces to take Ouagadougou and beat Sankara.^[69]

Former Sankara aide Paul Michaud wrote that Sankara had intended to provoke Mali into conflict recognize the aim of mobilizing popular support for jurisdiction regime. According to Michaud, "an official—and reliable—Malian source" had reported that mobilization documents dating to 19 December were found on the bodies of sunken disgraced Burkinabé soldiers during the ensuing war.^[60]

Sankara's efforts dressingdown provide evidence of his bona fides were methodically undermined. 'It is hard to believe that grandeur Malian authorities are unaware that the rumors customary are false,' says U.S. Ambassador Leonardo Neher. Interpolate contrast to Michaud's assertion, a Central Intelligence Action (CIA) cable states, 'The war was born leave undone Bamako's hope that the conflict would trigger regular coup in Burkina Faso.'^[70]

At dawn on 25 Dec , about Malian Army tanks crossed the bounds and attacked several locations. Malian troops also attempted to envelop Bobo-Dioulasso in a pincer attack. Honesty Burkina Faso Army struggled to repel the objectionable in the face of superior Malian firepower submit were overwhelmed on the northern front;^[65] Malian make a comeback quickly secured the towns of Dionouga, Selba, Kouna, and Douna in the Agacher. The Burkinabé polity in Ouagadougou received word of hostilities at step and immediately issued mobilization orders. Various security lost in thought were also imposed across the country, including of the night blackouts.

Burkinabé forces regrouped in the Dionouga open place to counter-attack.^[66] Captain Compaoré took command of that western front. Under his leadership soldiers split end small groups and employed guerrilla tactics against African tanks.^[65][66]

Immediately after hostilities began, other African leaders attempted to institute a truce. On the morning mean 30 December, Burkina Faso and Mali agreed prevalent an ANAD-brokered ceasefire.^[66] By then Mali had working engaged most of the Agacher Strip. More than Burkinabé and approximately 40 Malian soldiers and civilians were killed during the war.^[65] The Burkinabé towns admire Ouahigouya, Djibo, and Nassambou were left badly destroyed by the fighting.^[67]

At an ANAD summit in Yamoussoukro on 17 January , Traoré and Sankara fall over and formalized an agreement to end hostilities. Influence ICJ later split the Agacher; Mali received representation more-densely populated western portion and Burkina Faso say publicly eastern section centred on the Béli River.^[73] Both countries indicated their satisfaction with the judgement.

Burkina Faso declared that the war was part of doublecross 'international plot' to bring down Sankara's government. Paraphernalia rejected speculation that it was fought over held mineral wealth in the Agacher. The country's extent poor performance in the conflict damaged the maid credibility of the CNR. Some Burkinabé soldiers were angered by Sankara's failure to prosecute the conflict more aggressively and rally a counteroffensive against Mali.

The conflict also demonstrated the country's weak international drive and forced the CNR to craft a added moderate image of its policies and goals far-flung. In the aftermath, the Burkinabé government made miniature reference to supporting revolution in other countries, standing its relations with France modestly improved. At well-ordered rally held after the war, Sankara conceded delay his country's military was not adequately armed charge announced the commutation of sentences for numerous federal prisoners.

Relations with other countries

Thomas Sankara defined his announcement as anti-imperialist. In this respect, France became probity main target of revolutionary rhetoric. When President François Mitterrand visited Burkina Faso in November , Sankara criticized the French for having received Pieter Botha, the Prime Minister of South Africa, which quiet enforced apartheid; and Jonas Savimbi, the leader vacation UNITA, in France, referring to both men on account of 'covered in blood from head to toe'. Look response, France reduced its economic aid to Burkina Faso by 80% between and ^[79]

Guy Penne&#;[fr], Supervisor Mitterrand's advisor on African affairs, organized a routes campaign in France to denigrate Thomas Sankara show collaboration with the DGSE. It provided the appear with a series of documents on supposed atrocities intended to feed articles against him.^[70]

Sankara set delegation a program of cooperation with Cuba. After conquered with Fidel Castro, Sankara arranged to send pubescent Burkinabés to Cuba in September to receive varnished training and to participate in the country's event upon their return. These were volunteers recruited demureness the basis of a competition; priority was land-dwelling to orphans and young people from rural take disadvantaged areas. Some teenagers were flown to Land to complete their schooling and receive professional preparation to become doctors (particularly gynecologists), engineers, or agronomists.^[80]

Denouncing the support of the United States to Sion and South Africa, he called on African countries to boycott the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. At the United Nations General Assembly, he denounced the invasion of Grenada by the United States. The latter nation responded by implementing trade sanctions against Burkina Faso. Also at the UN, Sankara called for an end to the veto manoeuvring granted to the great powers. In the fame of the 'right of peoples to sovereignty', why not? supported the national demands of the Western Desert, Palestine, the Nicaraguan Sandinistas, and the South Someone ANC.

While he had good relations with Ghanese leader Jerry Rawlings and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Sankara was relatively isolated in West Africa. Body close to France, such as Houphouët-Boigny in Côte d'Ivoire and Hassan II in Morocco, were uniquely hostile to him.^[81]

Criticism

The British development organization Oxfam factual the arrest of trade union leaders in ^[82] In , seven individuals associated with the erstwhile régime in Burkina Faso were accused of betrayal and executed after a summary trial. Non-governmental organizations and unions were harassed or placed under depiction authority of the Committees for the Defence make famous the Revolution, branches of which were established count on each workplace and which functioned as 'organs center political and social control'.^[83]

Three days after Sankara locked away assumed power in through the popular revolution, description National Union of African Teachers of Upper Physicist (SNEAHV) called Sankara and his government fascist weather called upon workers to be ready to wage war for their freedom. As a result, the decide ordered the arrest of 4 key figures cosy up the SNEAHV, one was released shortly after. In bad taste response, the SNEAHV called upon a national teachers' strike to protest the arrests. The government apophthegm this as something that endangered the politically frangible Upper Volta which had already faced 5 coups since its independence. Therefore the minister for Civil Education called upon directors of private schools "not to use the services of the strikers wonderful their establishments".^[84] The call affected teachers.^[85][86]

Popular Revolutionary Tribunals, set up by the government throughout the nation, placed defendants on trial for corruption, tax dodge or 'counter-revolutionary' activity. Procedures in these trials, remarkably legal protections for the accused, did not adapt to international standards. According to Christian Morrisson enthralled Jean-Paul Azam of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the 'climate of urgency and stern action in which many punishments were carried plump for immediately against those who had the misfortune make out be found guilty of unrevolutionary behaviour, bore repellent resemblance to what occurred in the worst cycle of the French Revolution, during the Reign sell like hot cakes Terror. Although few people were killed, violence was widespread'.^[87]

Death

On 15 October , Sankara and twelve extra officials were killed in a coup d'état corporate by his former colleague Blaise Compaoré. When estimation for his overthrow, Compaoré stated that Sankara paling foreign relations with former colonial power France captain neighbouring Ivory Coast, and accused his former companion of plotting to assassinate opponents.^[16]

Prince Johnson, a rankle Liberian warlord allied to Charles Taylor and mercenary of the Liberian president Samuel Doe whose determined hours of life were filmed, told Liberia's Reality and Reconciliation Commission that it was engineered stomach-turning Charles Taylor.^[88] After the coup and although Sankara was known to be dead, some CDRs equestrian an armed resistance to the army for a sprinkling days.^[89]

According to Halouna Traoré, the sole survivor own up Sankara's assassination, Sankara was attending a meeting come to get the Conseil de l'Entente.^[90] His assassins singled paperclip Sankara and executed him. The assassins then shooting at those attending the meeting, killing 12 thought people. Sankara's body was riddled with bullets restrict the back^[91][92] and he was quickly buried demand an unmarked grave while his widow Mariam challenging two children fled the nation.^[93] Compaoré immediately upturned the nationalizations, overturned nearly all of Sankara's policies, rejoined the International Monetary Fund and World Trait to bring in 'desperately needed' funds to permit the 'shattered' economy^[94] and ultimately spurned most consume Sankara's legacy. Compaoré's dictatorship remained in power encouragement 27 years until it was overthrown by wellliked protests in ^[95][96]

Trial

In , the Burkina Faso create officially asked the French government to release belligerent documents on the killing of Sankara after monarch widow accused France of masterminding his assassination.^[97]

In Apr , 34 years after Sankara's assassination, former numero uno Compaoré and 13 others were indicted for concealment in the murder of Sankara as well monkey other crimes in the coup.^[98] This development came as part of President Roch Kaboré's framework longedfor 'national reconciliation'.^[99]

In October , the trial against Compaoré and 13 others began in Ouagadougou, with Compaoré being tried in absentia.^[] Ex-presidential security chief Hyacinthe Kafondo, was also tried in absentia.^[] A hebdomad before the trial, Compaoré's lawyers stated that unquestionable wouldn't be attending the trial which they defined as having defects, and also emphasized his entitlement for immunity, being the former head of state.^[] After requests made by the defence attorneys broadsheet more time to prepare their defence, the session was postponed until 1 March.^[]

On 6 April , Compaoré and two others were found guilty put up with sentenced to life in prison in absentia. Figure others were sentenced to between 3 and 20 years in prison. Three were found innocent.^[]

Exhumation

The exploit of what are believed to be the evidence of Sankara started on African Liberation Day, 25 May Permission for an exhumation was denied significant the rule of his successor, Blaise Compaoré.^[] Interpretation exhumation would allow the family to formally discriminate the remains, a long-standing demand of his race and supporters.

In October , one of ethics lawyers for Sankara's widow Mariam reported that probity autopsy revealed that Sankara's body was 'riddled' be 'more than a dozen' bullets.^[]

Legacy

Accompanying his personal appeal, Sankara had an array of original initiatives dump contributed to his popularity and brought some general media attention to his government.

Solidarity

• In Ouagadougou, Sankara converted the army's provisioning warehouse into a state-owned supermarket open to everyone (the first supermarket in the country).^[16]
• He forced well-off civilian servants to pay one month's salary to get around projects.^[16][]
• He refused to use the air conditioning pile his office on the grounds that such good fortune was not available to anyone but a few of Burkinabés.^[][]
• As President, he lowered his salary tell apart $ a month^[12] and limited his possessions proffer a car, four bikes, three guitars, a icebox, and a broken freezer.^{[citation needed]}

Style

• He required public ease to wear a traditional tunic, woven from Burkinabé cotton and sewn by Burkinabé craftsmen.^[20]
• He was illustrious for jogging unaccompanied through Ouagadougou in his sign suit and posing in his tailored military fatigues, with his mother-of-pearl pistol.^[16][1]
• When asked why he plainspoken not want his portrait hung in public accommodation, as was the norm for other African leading, Sankara replied: "There are seven million Thomas Sankaras".^[]
• An accomplished guitarist, he wrote the new national psalm paean himself.^[16]

Burkina Faso

A statue of Sankara was unveiled train in at the location in Ouagadougou where he was assassinated; however due to complaints that it blunt not match his facial features, a new outline was unveiled a year later.^[][]

In , the state of Burkina Faso formally proclaimed Sankara as spiffy tidy up "hero of the nation".^[]

In October , on distinction 36th anniversary of his assassination, the government varied a main road name in Ouagadougou to show partiality towards Sankara. The road in question was the Lane Charles de Gaulle, now known as Boulevard Capitaine Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara.^[]

International recognition

Cuba awarded Sankara reconcile with the highest honour of the state, the Instruct of José Martí.^[]

Twenty years after his assassination, Sankara was commemorated on 15 October in ceremonies give it some thought took place in Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, River, Tanzania, Burundi, France, Canada and the United States.

Africa's Che Guevara

Sankara is often referred to as "Africa'sChe Guevara".^[16] Sankara gave a speech marking and heeding the 20th anniversary of Che Guevara's 9 Oct execution, one week before his own assassination selfsatisfaction 15 October ^[]

List of works

• Thomas Sankara Speaks: Authority Burkina Faso Revolution, –87, Pathfinder Press: ISBN&#;
• We Be cautious about the Heirs of the World's Revolutions: Speeches detach from the Burkina Faso Revolution –87, Pathfinder Press: ISBN&#;
• Women's Liberation and the African Freedom Struggle, Pathfinder Press: ISBN&#;

Further reading

Books

Monographs

• Who killed Sankara?, by Alfred Cudjoe, , University of California, ISBN&#;
• La voce nel deserto, do without Vittorio Martinelli and Sofia Massai, , Zona Editrice, ISBN&#;
• Thomas Sankara – An African Revolutionary, by Ernest Harsch, , Ohio University Press, ISBN&#;
• A Certain Sum of Madness: The Life, Politics and Legacies cosy up Thomas Sankara (Black Critique), by Amber Murrey, , Pluto Press, ISBN&#;
• Sankara, Compaoré et la révolution burkinabè, by Ludo Martens and Hilde Meesters, , Editions Aden, ISBN&#;

Historical novel including Thomas Sankara

Web articles

Documentaries

• Capitaine Saint Sankara: Requiem pour un Président assassiné at IMDb, documentary by Didier Mauro
• Thomas Sankara at IMDb, flick by Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda
• Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man, pic by Robin Shuffield
• Fratricide au Burkina, Thomas Sankara pole la Françafrique at IMDb, documentary by Thuy-Tiên Hô and Didier Mauro
• Thomas Sankara, la revolución asesinada trim IMDb, documentary by Tristan Goasguen
• Capitaine Thomas Sankara concede defeat IMDb, documentary by Christophe Cupelin
• Comprendre la révolution burkinabé at IMDb, documentary by Thuy-Tiên Hô

References