Burkina Faso extends military rule by five years
Al JazeeraMay 22
Burkina Faso Encourages Citizens to Report on Each Other
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Above: Burkina Faso's military marches in Mali's National Day military parade on Sept. 22, 2018. Image copyright: Xaume Olleros/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The junta government of Burkina Faso, which took power in a 2022 coup, has called on citizens "to report any suspicious individual, movement or object" as part of its almost decade-long battle against jihadists.
The Security Ministry further warned citizens not to park their cars for too long near "sensitive sites" prone to potential terror attacks. They were also asked not to take pictures of security force positions, sites, or routes; or to rent out cars or houses without adequate vetting of customers.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Burkina Faso must restore civilian rule as soon as possible. Not only are human rights deteriorating rapidly in the Sahel, but the military government has not made its promised progress toward ending Islamist violence. Instead, Burkina Faso has let the Trojan horse of Russian influence seep into the region and further threaten human rights. A dictatorship will only hurt the country in the long run.
Establishment-critical narrative
The chaos in the Sahel region is thanks to US-backed coups, weapons shipments, and Western impotence regarding the insurgency. While it once cooperated with the West, Burkina Faso's failures in dealing with terrorism have led the country to turn to Russia to fill the security vacuum. While it's a sad reality, democracy won't be restored in Burkina Faso until its current government cleans up the mess created by US foreign policy.
