The Coordination of Civil Society Organizations in Burkina expressed outrage at “the interference of the European Union (EU)” in issues related to the security crisis. “We express our outrage at the actions of the European Union following the unfortunate events in Zaongo,” said Boukary Ouédraogo, spokesman for the Coordination of Civil Society Organizations in Burkina.
After the recent murder on November 5, 2023 in the municipality of Boala, a town in the north of the country, the EU had actually asked the Burkinabe authorities to clarify the matter. However, this call from the EU is poorly received by this CSO coordination.
She explains: “This concerns us in more ways than one in the form and content of this EU press release, which is already throwing an accusatory finger at our armed forces, even though an investigation is underway.”
“We also acknowledge the patriotic and civic commitment of our FDS and VDP in the context of the reconquest of our territory,” said Boukari Ouédraogo, spokesman for the Coordination of Civil Society Organizations in Burkina
The EU urged that the principle of non-interference be respected
The Coordination of Civil Society Organizations says it is tempted to question the EU’s supposed right to control over Burkina Faso’s problems. “Or rather, what powers does the EU have to shamelessly hold our authorities accountable for the security situation in Burkina Faso? ” she adds.
This coordination of civil society organizations calls on the EU to respect the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States and in particular in the sovereignty of Burkina Faso. “If the Burkinabe authorities were to be accountable to anyone in the world, it would not go beyond the people,” says the spokesman for the Coordination of Civil Society Organizations.
“We are determined to protect our sovereignty. Citizen surveillance will increase even more […] », Asseta Harvey, known as the Pan-African Mother, member of the Coordination of CSOs in Burkina
For Boukary Ouédraogo, the EU’s actions show once again the extent to which certain organizations want to deal a blow to social cohesion in Burkina Faso. “These measures aim to slow down the momentum of the sovereignty struggle started by Captain Ibrahim Traoré and his government,” he specifies.
The Burkinabe people, he continues, took part in this war without expecting anything from anyone, and no one but the people is asked to come and count their victories, let alone their deaths.
“Most of the terrorists who killed our people in Zaongo are in direct contact with the EU and France. For this reason, they announced their official assessment before that of our authorities,” Lassané Sawadogo, member of the Coordination of Civil Society Organizations in Burkina
“The EU wants to divide the Burkinabe people”
“We would also like to ask our authorities to clarify the state of our relations with certain European countries such as France, which spends all its time giving a voice to people who could even be described as ungrateful.” In this way they can on behalf of the Burkinabe people. “This is the case of Newton Barry, who fled the war in his country,” lamented Mr. Ouédraogo.
Against this background, the Coordination of Civil Society Organizations says that a national and international opinion is needed to witness “these acts of which the Burkinabe people themselves are not aware”. According to her, “the EU’s manipulations are aimed solely at dividing people and denigrating the struggle they have worthy of fighting.”
The national anthem (Le Ditanyé) sung by the participants.
The call for maximum vigilance
“We also remind everyone that such acts could never weaken the brave and committed Burkinabe people that we are, but on the contrary, help strengthen our ranks.” Regardless, we call on all people to be extremely vigilant and to have a more dynamic and strengthened citizen vigil against any force of evil,” said the spokesman for the Coordination of Civil Society Organizations in Burkina.
The participants sang in chorus the national anthem of Burkina Faso as a tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks, the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP) who died at the front. For its part, the Presidium took questions from journalists to provide further clarification to those who needed it. This press conference took place in the briefing room of the Norbert Zongo National Press Center (CNP-NZ).
As a reminder, the Burkinabe authorities, through the Faso Prosecutor at the Kaya Supreme Court, released a preliminary report on the killings in Zaongo on November 13, 2023, reporting 70 deaths.
Also read: Burkina Faso: The public prosecutor’s office assumes a preliminary death toll of 70 in the Zaongo murders
Hamed Nanéma
Photo credit: Bonaventure Paré
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