BURKINA FASO: LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD; (BY JAYE GASKIA) Given the context of the unfolding uprising in Burkina Faso, I urge that we all take time to not only follow this developing situation, that is potentially revolutionary, but that we also get acquainted with the story of Thomas Sankara, and the history of the Burkinabe revolution. 27 years ago, on 15th October 1987, the revolutionary process that was unfolding in Burkina Faso was terminated and drowned in cold blood, through a counter-revolutionary coup led by Blaise, prompted and sponsored by imperialism through the then president of Ivory Coast, who was Campaore’s father in-law. The coup which saw Sankara, and 12 close aides, the majority of the leadership of the revolution murdered troops instructed by Campaore, was the climax of ideological and political differences within the revolutionary leadership and government on the direction of the revolution. While Sankara as leader of the revolution, with support of a majority of cadres favoured deepening the anti-imperialist, socialist, and democratic character of the revolution, the minority faction led by Blaise, favoured accommodation with imperialism. When it was obvious that Sankara had won the argument, and had the support of a majority of the leadership and citizens to move forward, it became obvious to imperialism that something had to be done urgently, so through Ivory Coast they reached out to the pro-imperialist faction, led by the son in-law of the Ivory Coast president, and struck a fatal blow that fateful morning, beheading the revolution, truncating the revolutionary process, and disorienting the masses. The coupists who had ambushed the majority faction as they were going into a meeting, had to contend with the legacy of Sankara. They sought to obliterate his memory. They disposed off of the corpses of Sankara and the 12 in a shallow grave in the Bush. But citizens found out. Thus, it was that all through the reign of Campaore Blaise, the grave of the Revolutionaries became a site of constant battle, and a constant symbol of the legacy of the revolution, as well as a constant reminder of the resilience of the revolution in retreat. I have been to the grave site. Citizens will go at night to spray the words ‘Father of the Burkinabe Revolution’ on Sankara’s grave, the regime will come in the morning to paint over the slogans. And now in a very ironic historical twist, in another October, on the 27th anniversary of the counter revolution, an uprising erupts that has now led to the overthrow of the leader of the counter revolution! The unfolding process in Burkina Faso is still an uprising, but one with immense revolutionary potential, as protesters carry banners and placards with the visage and image of Sankara. And now as a direct result of the leader of the counter revolution bidding to amend the constitution in order to enable to continue as president, opposition parties, and in particular those built in continuation of the legacy of the revolution led by Sankara, have suddenly reconnected with the masses, and are now becoming the organized majority political force in Burkinabe society. As the counter revolution is being confronted with an existential crisis, the revolution could be revived. But there is a lesson here even for our own context. There are similarities and differences between this October Uprising of Burkinabe people and the January Uprising of Nigeria: existing regimes and the way of life over which they preside swarmed by an existential crisis; political and organizational weakness of the forces directing the uprising, leading in Nigeria to the regime regaining the initiative without sacrificing its leadership, but in Burkina, at least for the moment leading to a manoeuvre by the armed forces to save the status quo by sacrificing the leadership. There are however other lessons for the future; for instance the huge potential for any deeply antagonistic intra class crisis within the ruling class occasioned by fierce contestation of the 2015 general elections, and its outcome to trigger another Uprising and this time one that will be even more potentially earth shattering for the ruling class and the system it presides over. The lesson? We should prepare for the Uprising next time Regards.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 18:02:57 +0000
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