The military leader of Burkina Faso has made striking statements rejecting democratic governance, declaring during a televised interview that citizens should abandon any expectations of returning to democratic rule.
Captain Ibrahim Traore, who assumed control of the West African nation through a military takeover in September 2022, made these remarks during a Thursday evening roundtable discussion with reporters broadcast on government television.
“People need to forget about the issue of democracy,” Traore stated. “We have to tell the truth: democracy isn’t for us.”
The military commander went further, citing Libya as an example where external forces attempted to “impose democracy,” before concluding that “democracy kills.”
Initially, Traore’s administration had pledged to conduct national elections in 2024. However, one year following the military takeover, he announced that voting would be postponed indefinitely until security conditions improve sufficiently for all citizens to participate safely.
The country has been battling extremist groups affiliated with al Qaeda and Islamic State for over ten years, creating widespread instability across the region.
In January, Traore’s government took the dramatic step of disbanding all political organizations, following an earlier suspension of political activities. Prior to the military coup, the nation had more than 100 registered political parties, with 15 holding parliamentary seats after the 2020 national elections.
Similar actions have been taken by military governments in neighboring Mali and Niger, where coup leaders have also eliminated political parties after seizing power.
The ongoing extremist violence across all three nations has resulted in thousands of deaths and forced millions from their homes over the past decade.
On the same day as Traore’s comments, Human Rights Watch released findings suggesting that Burkina Faso’s armed forces and their partners have been responsible for more than double the civilian casualties caused by extremist groups since 2023 began.
Government officials did not provide responses to requests for comment regarding the human rights organization’s report.
