Les armes ont encore crépité dans la nuit du 14 au 15 avril 2011 à Ouagadougou. Cette fois c'est la garde présidentielle, un corps d'élite chargée de la protection du président Blaise Compaoré qui a pris les armes pour manifester violemment. Ils ont encore pillé des commerces et des stations services à travers la ville de Ouagadougou.
La situation devient de plus en plus intenable pour les populations civiles.

Exams of year end: The pupils reinforce their capacities

Of the 21 to March 26, 2011, the Community of the pupils and students of the evangelical Protestant church (CEE / EPE) organized lessons of support to the pupils in class of exam of the high schools and colleges of the city of Gaoua. Second of the kind after the one of 2009, the present edition was held in particularly difficult conditions because of the national situation. They were more of 70 pupils of the classes of 3rd and of terminal to have reinforced their capacities in order to give themselves more of luck to the exams of end of year.  

In 2009, a group of students, anxious of the success of their young brothers and sisters, decides to give their time, their means and to share their knowledge with them. They initiate what they call lessons of support. This first edition meets the craze and the massive mobilization of the pupils of the urban township of Gaoua. They are more than 150 pupils to take part in this first experience. In 2010 the disruption of the academic calendar prevents the holding of the second edition. All efforts and hopes concentrate on 2011. This year also had its share of disruptions but the firmness of the Community of the pupils and students were bigger.  

This is how of the 21 to March 26, in spite of difficulties the lessons of support took place on several sites of the city of Gaoua, to the satisfaction also a lot of pupils that of the parents. "Honestly these lessons of support are the welcome. All is clear for us, it is indeed marvelous. Here we have the possibility to put all sort of question in order to understand better ", is delighted Valerie Kambou, pupil in class of Tle A4 to the municipal high school of Gaoua. It is also the feeling of Marthe Kambiré of the class of 3rd: "These lessons allow us not to lower the arms and to go from the before. Thanks to these lessons one manages to become attached to our notebooks to which one didn't tend to attach themselves of it because of the disruptions of this last time. ". "In mathematic that didn't go really, but thanks to these lessons I saw an improvement and I pray that it is continual. I think that this year I will succeed in my exam ", hopes Deborah Palenfo.  

For the parents who worried logically about the success of their offsprings because of the disruptions that the school year knows, they see in this initiative a ray of hope and rejoice themselves of it. Albert Kambou: "As parent of pupils we are delighted with this initiative of backing of the capacities of the pupils in class of exam. We worried about their success this year because of the disruptions but with these lessons we have big hope ". "It is a laudable initiative in this sense that it allows the pupils to renew with the studies; because of the crisis it makes several weeks that they are cut of the studies. I wish that this initiative occurs again the years to come with a lot more craze of the pupils ", increases the Pasteur Albert D. Palenfo.  

Come from Ouagadougou, Bobo - Dioulasso, Koudougou, Manga and of course Gaoua, these teachers of one week see in this return, a duty. Traoré Serge, English professor to the municipal high school of Manga: "It is my way to contribute to their success in the exams, I must to fill this duty. It is a laudable initiative that participates in the development of the church and the region of the Southwest ". He wishes that the authorities of the church, the local and regional authorities lend them strong hand so that them (big brothers) to bring their stone of contribution to the improvement of the school success. Da Sansan Bienvenu, French professor to the municipal high school of Gaoua sees in these lessons of supports an opportunity of sharing of experiences, exchanges, cohesion and friendship.  

In spite of the shift of the holidays that caused them a lot of financial and organizational problems, the president of the committee of organization of the second edition of the support lessons, Jonas Somé raises a positive balance: "Because of the situation of crisis the pupils have not been informed in time, we didn't have a setting well adapted to the progress of the lessons but the balance is satisfactory to the look of the number of pupils that could take part in these lessons. In 3rd we had 45 pupils, 17 in terminal A4 and 8 pupils in Tle D. it is beyond that what one expected to the look of the national crisis context ". The coordinator of the lessons of support Esaïe Kambiré already thinks in the future him. "We have in project of institutionalized these courses, so the pupils will know that to every holiday of the second quarter they will have lessons of support. With regard to the mobilization of funds we are going to confer again to see how to mobilize means more in order to organize these courses more efficiently ".  

Mathematics, physical - chemistry, history - geography, English, philosophy, French and sciences of life and the earth are the matters that have been taught to the pupils in class of exams. Through shortcoming of the convenient exercises, of the questions of enlightenment and the lessons of deepening, these pupils come affluent out of knowledge susceptible to allow them to pick up their diplomas of year end.   

Koundjoro Gabriel Kambou

Demonstrated violent of soldiers: The shootings of gusts wake Blaise up

Burkina Faso since starts it of the decade 2000 - 2010 knew dramatic situations where the people had need to hear him, but he had remained voiceless or very little talkative. Accident of Boromo, deluge of September 1st, student crises, violent demonstrations following the death suspected of Justin Zongo, etc. none of these dramas could not pull the least speech of the tenant of the palace of Kosyam. The heavy weapon of loose soldiers was necessary of the gusts and shootings to oblige Blaise Compaoré to speak to the people outside of the ritual of December 11 and 31 of every year.  

In the night of the 22 to March 23, 2011, the city of Ouagadougou is terrified. Of the shootings of kalachinikovs, shootings to the heavy weapon and gusts oblige the Ouagaleeses to earth at home. A stroke of state? No it is a mutiny of soldiers for have been condemned in a business of mœurs. The following day morning, the report of the size of the damages is bitter. Of the robbed trades, of the stations services and buildings wrecked. Did these mutinous pillagers have mobile others? Certainly. In all the cases these scenes of shambles exalted of depredations continued in other cities as Fada and Gaoua. 

These acts although little advisable on behalf of the army rabble present the Burkinabè of a very "rare presidential gift": the speech of Blaise Compaoré to the nation. The shots and bangs are necessary to pipe word to our dear president, freshly reelected with more of 80% of the suffrages. And yet…  

November 15, 2008, a tragic accident intervenes on the Ouaga axis - Bobo to some encablures of Boromo. One bus of public transportation and a truck tows entered in collusion. The balance is very heavy: 66 deaths all or charred nearly entirely and 30 injureds identified on the place of the disaster. The chief of the state is outside in mission of the country. They were numerous to think that he would shorten his stay to go back. He was not anything of it. 

September 1st, 2009, a deluge without precedent in Ouagadougou. 263mm of rainwater fell between 4 am and 4 pm. The fury of waters carries away all or nearly on its passage, made 150 000 disaster victims, of the losses in human life and well naturally many material damages. Distress, tears, bitterness are served to the Ouagaleeses. Blaise Compaoré is in France. Does he go back of emergency? No, he pursued his metropolitan stay serenely before being going back to succeed a big publicity stunt while tasting rice served to the victims of the deluge of September 1st. A speech of comfort to the toughly tried nation? Either. Frustrations and whispers convent: "our president doesn't have anymore of time for us ", preoccupied that he is to manage the Togolese, of the Ivory Coast files, etc. king made In these countries Blaise Compaoré and celebrated like man of peace and dialogue, but inside his country the pot simmers. Mildly.  

And then in end February, the word basta! makes shape in Koudougou. Following the death suspected of pupil Justin Zongo and to the coarse lie served to the national and international opinion, Koudougou assumes its pseudonym of "rebel and manifest city" courageously violently its disapproval. The repression is especially ferocious. The pupils and students fall again under the murderous bullets of the security strengths. The days that follow, several other cities through the country fit together the step in Koudougou. By solidarity. Some public buildings burn, domiciles of high personalities are sacked or are fired. More of a Burkinabè wondered about the generalization in one record time of these violent demonstrations of youngsters in anger. How is one arrives there? To calm the situation, among others measures, it is decided the closing of all school and academic establishments, the shift of the holidays of the second quarter, the closing of the academic cities and the suspension of the social works.  

It is in this situation of grumbles social generalized that the big mute to the kalaches so loud plunges its boots in the dish. Feigning a decision of justice that would not have been to the favor of some of their weapon comrades, some soldiers seize the weapons and munitions to invade the city of Ouagadougou overnight her of March 22 to 23. Shootings in air, depredations, havocs of trades and public and private services. After Ouagadougou, Fada Gourma, Gaoua, Banforas followed. By solidarity they say also. Ouaga rebelote with the fire of the domicile of the chief of state general regimental adjutant of the armies and the injury of the mayor of Ouaga Simon Compaoré. The worried situation. In top as below.  

March 30, information circulates that the president of Faso will go at the nation to 13h. It is finally around 14h05mn that the national anthem announces the speech of the chief of the state. In this speech, Blaise Compaoré tells to have seized the sense and the range of the quest of well-being, truth, justice and security that coins stretch some demonstrations ". He reaffirms besides his availability to meet all social categories in order to exchange on their preoccupations. "Since tomorrow, I will receive the different components of our Armed services ", he has added. And the following day, the carpet of the palace of Kosyam was unwound to the army rabble. So therefore, only the melody of the weapons is capable to wake our president up and to prepare it to listen. His People. We take note. 

Koundjoro Gabriel Kambou

Social situation in Burkina Faso: A big day of struggle next April 8

As announced to its press conference last week, the national Coalition of struggle against life enlivened this Saturday March 19, a rally of protest to the purse of the work of Ouagadougou. To denounce the unpunished crimes of the power of the 4th Republic, the tortures, the expensive life, the closing of the universities and the suspension of the work academic, such is the goal of this big gathering of the workers, pupils, students, commercial and particular. That is sufficient!, it was the master - word. 

It is the choir of the Collective that gave the tone of the rally of the CCVC with its untiring and always very inspired vocal lead when it is about composing songs of struggle. During close to about ten minutes, the choir holds in suspense, stand up, the crowd come to take part in the rally. Then the president of the CCVC took the floor to give reading of the declaration of the rally. Tolé Sagnon denounces the fraud, the impunity and the corruption, sustains the rightly struggle of the pupils and students for the justice, condemn without reserve the repression of the pupils and students as well as the campaign of diabolization of their struggle, require that the whole light is made on these crimes and that their authors are identified, judged and punish to the height of their forfeits; condemn the inopportune closing of the teaching establishments as well as the abusive suspensions of the academic work firmly. The Coalition was also anxious to denounce the situation in Côte – d’Ivoire and to express its solidarity with the people bruised of Côte – d’Ivoire and all nationals whom there lives.  

Also, the coalition didn't fail to express its disappointment of the results gotten out of the negotiations with the Government. The CCVC requires the reconsideration of the answers brought to the platform revendicative of the union organizations then, call its militant to solidarity with the pupils and students in struggle and calls them to bring their supports under a few shape that it is the students' clear off to Ouagadougou, Bobo- Dioulasso and Koudougou; call its militants, and getting on well on the whole territory to mobilize themselves massively for a big day of struggle that will take place Friday April 2011 8 in all localities of the country. This day will be the opportunity to challenge the government to examine and to solve the preoccupations of the unions, to make light on the hanging files and the deletion of the local development tax (TDC). 

Koundjoro Gabriel Kambou

Violences in Burkina Faso: Because the methods of our leaders didn't change

 

Our country has crossed a zone of turbulences consecutive to what it is suited henceforth to call the affair Justin Zongo now practically one month ago. Koudougou, Réo, Poa, Leo, Ouahigouya, Dori, knew demonstrations of protest that entailed the fire of the police stations, of the public buildings, of the seats of the party to the power with unfortunately of the losses in human lives. But how one arrives there?  

Flashback: October 15, 1987 around 16h, some shots are sensible to the Council of the understanding. Out of these fed fights, the bad news fell like a cleaver: the Captain President Thomas Sankara is murdered and is buried hastily with several his collaborators in the cemetery of Dagnoin. They fell under the murderous bullets of the persons responsible of the “Front Populaire”. The whole world, Africa especially cried this murder. Some years later, on the death certificate of Thomas Sankara, it is registered " dead of natural death ". It has there that to Burkina where one dies of natural way sifted of bullets.  

December 13, 1998, journalist Norbert Zongo is burnt quick with three his mates because of his writings on the "bustles David Ouédraogo", driver of François Compaoré. Under the pressure of the street, one displays his will to return justice while putting an independent investigation commission in place. This file is classified today without continuation. The young Flavien Nébié, the slaughters of Balpouré and Pièla didn't taste in light of the justice.  

June 30, 2010 in Dagnora to 16 kilometers of Gaoua, whereas they went to a site of gold of Batié, Arnaud Somé and Yassia Nacanabo have been challenged by a team of patrol of the police. Transferred to the central police of Gaoua, they will be stripped of their clothes, money, jewelry and portable and will be tortured whereas they didn't have any drug in them possession. Following his mate's supplications, Arnaud will be transferred to the regional hospital Center of Gaoua from where he will succumb to his injuries, linked to his bed. But on Radio Gaoua, the authorities explained that Arnaud Somé broke itself the head while falling in a ravine, and that he has been stopped in possession of more than a kilogram of drug. This version truncated of the facts provokes the anger of the populations that demonstrates to ask for the restoration of the truth. A ferocious repression falls on them. Balance, two other youngsters cut down by bullets.  

February 19, 2011, Justin L. Zongo, pupil in class of 3rd in a high school of Koudougou dies. Before his death, Justin Zongo had gone by two times to mean to the district attorney that he underwent bodily cruelties in the police station at the time of his questioning. On his medical certificate, it is mentioned effectively that Justin Zongo has been received in the center of health for strokes and injuries. But has the version of the authorities read to the radio as well that to the television of state: "… contrary to the rumors, pupil Justin Zongo died of meningitis… ". The protest of the population of Koudougou is repressed toughly, making the deaths and several injureds.  

The logic of the flashback, since still the authorities of the 4th Republic travestied the truth every time on the murders. They always used the sheet of the lie to cover the truth. If they managed it in the past unscathed, they forgot regally that the people of Burkina Faso evolved and is not readier to swallow these snakes. More ever that.  

The affair Justin Zongo is the drop of water that made overflow the vase. The methods of our authorities didn't evolve with time. There is the explanation of this big anger of the people of Burkina. Basta! It is necessary that that changes. One can regret the acts of vandalism, the fire and the destruction of public property and private, but one cannot deny to this people its right, and especially its duty to harden the tone so that the lie doesn't become a cardinal value of governance. How to be quiet and to wait silently for the justice of the one that always demonstrated you that he won't ever make it for you?  

Closing of the universities, a flight forward 

While deciding the closing of the public universities of Burkina, the Government demonstrates its feverishness, its refusal to face the problem and to solve it. As in 2008, one closes, one clears off the students of the cities, one starves them while depriving them of the food of the academic restaurants. But a method applied in 2008 can - it to be applied again literally in 2011 and to produce the same discounted effects? Does one nurture the reflection sufficiently before deciding? The days to come carry in them the answers to my questions. By my window I feel already to blow a new wind: it is soft and cool. Normal, the day was rough and hot. 

Koundjoro Gabriel Kambou