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In Burkina Faso, President Declares State of Emergency After Protests Government of Burkina Faso Collapses
(about 3 hours later)
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government on Thursday, but also offered negotiations with his adversaries after a day of fiery protests against plans to add a further term to his 27 years in office. OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — The government of Burkina Faso collapsed on Thursday as demonstrators protesting the president’s plans to stay in office after 27 years surged through the streets of Ouagadougou, the capital, overrunning state broadcasters, setting fire to the Parliament building and torching the homes of the president’s relatives.
The venting of rage was depicted by some analysts as the most serious challenge to his grip on power since he deposed his predecessor, Thomas Sankara, in a coup in 1987. After several hours of increasingly violent protests, a government spokesman announced that a bill to extend the term of President Blaise Compaoré had been dropped, or at least delayed. But the protests continued, and later in the day, Mr. Compaoré announced that the government had been dissolved and promised more talks with the opposition “to end the crisis,” according to a statement read on a local radio station.
Throughout Thursday, demonstrators rampaged through the dusty streets of Ouagadougou, the capital, overrunning state broadcasters, setting fire to the Parliament building and torching the homes of the president’s aides and relatives. As the crisis deepened, Gen. Honoré Nabéré Traoré, the chief of staff of Burkina Faso’s armed forces, said at a news conference Thursday night that a transitional authority would lead the country to elections within 12 months. He did not say who would form the interim government. He also announced that a curfew would be in effect from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly.
After several hours of increasingly violent confrontations, Mr. Compaoré announced that a contentious bill seeking to extend the presidential term had been dropped. But it was not clear whether his maneuvers would placate the thousands of demonstrators facing off against security forces at the presidential palace. A reporter’s request for a visa was denied by the Burkina Faso Consulate in New York on Thursday night, on the grounds that the country’s borders had been sealed.
Soldiers had fired live rounds and used tear gas to repel crowds seeking to storm the building, witnesses said. Social media sites had earlier shown images of a statue of Mr. Compaoré being dragged from its plinth and toppled. Television footage showed huge crowds coursing down broad thoroughfares, some apparently riding in hijacked vehicles, as armed police officers in pickup trucks retreated before them.
Gen. Honoré Nabéré Traoré, the chief of staff of Burkina Faso’s armed forces, was scheduled to make a statement later on Thursday with a former defense minister, Gen. Kouamé Lougué, who had been seeking to calm the protests in central Ouagadougou, military officials said. The venting of rage is the most serious challenge to Mr. Compaoré′s grip on power since he took office in 1987. His whereabouts Thursday night were unknown.
Elsewhere in the city, opposition leaders demanded the resignation of Mr. Compaoré, who has won several elections, the most recent in November 2010. At the presidential palace, soldiers fired live rounds and used tear gas to repel crowds seeking to storm the building, witnesses said. News reports said several people had been killed by gunfire.
In a statement on Thursday from its ministry of foreign affairs, France, the former colonial power, which operates a special forces base in Burkina Faso, said it “deplored the violence that has taken place in and around the National Assembly” in Ouagadougou and urged calm. Elsewhere in the city, opposition leaders demanded the resignation of Mr. Compaoré, a former soldier who seized power in a coup and then won several elections, the most recent in November 2010.
France regards Mr. Compaoré as a crucial regional ally in its efforts to confront Al Qaeda-linked Islamic militants in the broader Sahel region of Africa. Burkina Faso, formerly called Upper Volta, is home to around 3,600 French citizens. There have been outbreaks of violence against Mr. Compaoré at least six other times since 1999, most recently in 2011, with government buildings defaced and protesters taking to the streets. Mr. Compaoré has always managed to stay in power through a combination of negotiation, conciliation and restrained use of firepower. But it was not clear whether his late-afternoon concessions on Thursday — he also declared a nationwide state of emergency — would be enough this time.
“I’m pledging from today to open talks with all the actors to end the crisis,” Mr. Compaoré said in the statement broadcast by radio, continuing his practice of rarely appearing in public, particularly in moments of crisis.
In a statement on Thursday, France, the colonial power that once ruled Burkina Faso and still has a special forces base there, said it deplored the violence and urged calm.
France regards Mr. Compaoré as a crucial regional ally in its efforts to confront Islamic militants in the broader Sahel region who have ties to Al Qaeda. Burkina Faso, formerly called Upper Volta, is home to around 3,600 French citizens.
The American Embassy in Ouagadougou said in a statement that the United States was “deeply concerned” by the violence and urged “all parties including the security forces” to seek a peaceful outcome.The American Embassy in Ouagadougou said in a statement that the United States was “deeply concerned” by the violence and urged “all parties including the security forces” to seek a peaceful outcome.
In the early years after Burkina Faso’s independence in 1960, power changed hands in a series of coups, but more recently, the country has achieved a measure of stability. Its citizens, however, have grown increasingly restive over the past few months as the president’s allies have tried to persuade Parliament to scrap a constitutional limit on presidential terms. In the years just after Burkina Faso’s independence in 1960, power changed hands in a series of coups, but more recently, the country has achieved a measure of stability. Its citizens, however, have grown increasingly restive over the past few months as Mr. Compaoré’s allies tried to persuade Parliament to scrap a constitutional limit on presidential terms.
For three consecutive days, the capital has been rocked by protests, which could have wider implications in other African countries whose leaders are considering measures that would extend their time in office. For three consecutive days, the capital has been rocked by protests, which could have wide implications for other African countries whose leaders are considering measures that would extend their time in office.
Alain Édouard Traoré, the communications minister, said on Thursday that the government had shelved the plan to change the Constitution. But that did not immediately appear to calm crowds seeking emblems of Mr. Compaoré's rule as targets for their wrath. Alain Edouard Traoré, the communications minister, said the government had shelved the plan to change the Constitution. But that did not calm the crowds.
“It is over for the regime,” demonstrators shouted after Mr. Traoré's announcement, according to The Associated Press. “We do not want him again.” “It is over for the regime,” demonstrators shouted after the announcement, according to The Associated Press. “We do not want him again.”
Several people were killed by gunfire, news reports said. Initial reports said demonstrators had broken through police lines to take over the Parliament building and to prevent lawmakers from voting on the contentious proposal, which would have overturned a provision that limits the president to two terms.
Early in the day of protests, demonstrators had broken through police lines to take over the Parliament building and to prevent lawmakers from voting on the contentious proposal to overturn a provision that limits the president to two terms. Black smoke was seen rising from the Parliament building. State-owned radio and television stations suspended broadcasts after demonstrators took over their headquarters, looting equipment, news reports said.
Black smoke was seen rising from the Parliament building. Protesters also set fire to cars and to the homes of several of Mr. Compaoré′s relatives and advisers, and to the offices of the governing party.
State-owned radio and television stations suspended broadcasts after demonstrators took over their headquarters, looting television equipment and setting fire to cars, news reports said. Three motionless bodies were seen in the street near the home of Mr. Compaoré′s brother, Reuters reported, after troops there fired live rounds and used tear gas as a crowd approached.
Protesters also set fire to the offices of the governing party. The unrest this week recalled the days of early 2011, when Mr. Compaoré, faced down a series of rampages by mutinous soldiers. Then, as in the earlier outbreaks of dissent from 1999 to 2008, he survived by presenting himself as somehow above the fray. But the causes of discontent in this land just below the Sahara have not gone away.
Three motionless bodies were seen in the street near the home of Mr. Compaoré’s brother, Reuters reported, after troops there fired live rounds and used tear gas as a crowd approached. When Mr. Compaoré took power, Burkina Faso’s population ranked among Africa’s poorest, and it has remained so, with widespread illiteracy and no large, educated middle class. Mr. Compaoré has regularly been re-elected with over 80 percent of the vote.
The unrest this week recalled the days of early 2011, when Mr. Compaoré, who for years has been at the heart of a web of contacts and alliances, faced down a series of rampages by mutinous soldiers.
But then, as in earlier outbreaks of dissent from 1999 to 2008, he survived the protests, presenting himself as somehow above the fray and using a blend of negotiation, conciliation and deft maneuvering behind the scenes to forestall further violence. But the causes of disaffection in this land just below the Sahara have not gone away.
When Mr. Compaoré took power, Burkina Faso’s population ranked among Africa’s poorest, and it has remained so, facing widespread illiteracy and the absence of a large, educated middle class. Mr. Compaoré has regularly been re-elected with over 80 percent of the vote.