By: Seringe ST Touray
Burkina Faso’s President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, recently delivered a defiant address on national television, calling on his country’s youth and defense forces to stay resolute against what he described as external manipulation aimed at destabilizing their efforts.
Captain Traoré’s speech, directed primarily at the military and the public—particularly those involved in the nation’s defense and resistance, such as members of the military and paramilitary groups like the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP)—stated that Burkina Faso is trapped in a “very complicated system,” one into which, as he put it, “most of you who are young like me, we were born.” However, he argued, “that’s not what can allow Burkina to thrive.” The Burkinabé leader outlined that the country faces a clear choice: “Either we accept to fight, or we remain slaves forever.”
Traoré warned against internal manipulation, saying, “there are those who are slaves in their minds. They can only serve their master. And those people try every time to manipulate you.” He urged fighters and citizens alike to “stay focused” and “not pay attention to certain remarks even on some media,” cautioning that “not everyone is obliged to be patriotic.” Those serving on the frontlines, he said, are “the first patriots,” and must ignore critics and “close your ears and move forward.”
In a particularly pointed part of his speech, Captain Traoré singled out a so-called NGO, which it is implied refers to Human Rights Watch, accusing the organization of working against Burkina Faso’s interests. He criticized the organization for producing reports alleging abuses by the Burkinabé Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP). “This so-called NGO produces reports claiming that the FDS and the VDP commit abuses,” he said. “It went in here, it came out there.” He argued that the purpose of such reports was “to tarnish the morale of our forces, to scare them, to prevent them from being able to fight.”
This accusation follows a report released by Human Rights Watch on April 25, 2024, which alleged that the Burkinabé army executed at least 223 civilians, including 56 children, in two northern villages, Nodin and Soro. The report detailed how soldiers separated villagers into groups and shot them at point-blank range, with survivors recounting that soldiers ensured there were no survivors by shooting at those already on the ground. The Burkinabé government rejected these allegations, describing the report as baseless and part of a broader effort to discredit the country’s defense forces.
Captain Traoré went further, linking the activities of the NGO to broader instability in the Sahel, alleging that similar false reports helped justify the 2011 intervention that toppled Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi. “They made false reports and gave them to those who wanted to create a rebellion so that people would intervene and overthrow Gaddafi,” he said. “And the powder keg ended up being poured into the Sahel.” Blaming the NGO for the resulting chaos, he added, “We must file a complaint against this NGO because it is responsible for these false reports it made to support this thesis of attacking Libya.”
He also questioned the moral authority of international human rights organizations, declaring, “They have no moral lessons to give us. Let them go defend human rights all over the world first before coming here.” Throughout his address, Captain Traoré emphasized national pride and historical resilience. “They see us as subhumans. They see us as slaves,” he said, accusing external actors of maintaining a colonial mindset. “They have never changed their mindset.” He added, “It’s up to us to show them that we are not slaves and we will never accept this state of affairs.”
Referring to the sacrifices of African soldiers during World War II, he reminded the nation, “You are the descendants of those same ancestors who went to defend others, who liberated the world from Nazism. Today you are fighting for your lands.” Captain Traoré rejected international criticism of Burkina Faso’s security operations, saying, “These same individuals dare to create terms to tarnish you. We oppose this, we will never agree.” In his view, foreign interest in Burkina Faso stems from its natural resources: “Continue to defend your lands. It is your wealth that interests these people. It’s our gold, it’s our minerals that interest them.”
He alleged that entire villages have been displaced for resource exploitation and vowed that Burkinabé forces would “reclaim our lands, our wealth.” “This war,” he said, “is to free us from slavery. It’s for our independence.” Encouraging citizens to remain steadfast, Captain Traoré urged them to draw strength from their cultural heritage: “Draw from your cultural resources, from what you have been shaped by since the village, draw from it and wage this war. Stay focused and stay strong.”
