TERRORISM IN BURKINA NEGLECTING THE HUMANITARIAN ASPECT

 DO NOT ONLY FOCUS ON MILITARY ACTIONS

We are under an exceptional regime, proud to lead, but not arrogant enough to deny the importance of everyone's contribution to the design of this new Burkina. Our greatest challenge in this fight against terrorism is to give every social group their importance and right to participate in decision-making. Some, due to their nature, may not be able to participate directly, but within the discussion assembly, there must be an element capable of carrying their voice.

We have listened carefully to the statement and the future military projects and were particularly pleased to see that, after two years, our concerns regarding the role of the brave Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland have been taken into account. 

The projects announced by the representatives of the national armed forces deserve all our encouragement. However, our role as citizens is also to sound the alarm about certain details that may have been overlooked in the discussions of the evening

What about the Human Rights

Military areas of interest, particularly the 12,000 km of poorly managed Soum, could be the beginnings of violent unrest in the region and later for the entire Burkina. The unfortunate and positive point is that this province has been relatively the most affected and one of the generous providers of internally displaced persons, which in turn would mean that the area is almost empty and that military operations could take place without major complications. Moreover, the same Soum area from Yagha through Oudalan and Seno is a very large transhumance region, so any expansion of the military zone must be done in consultation with the people and organizations leading projects in the area. (Bulletin de surveillance Pastoral du Burkina Faso N6-February-March 2022 from Terre des Hommes could serve as a guide.) Despite the terrorist phenomenon, some populations in these areas have not completely stopped their activities. Moreover, since we are talking about a nomadic population shared between the borders of Liptako-Gurma, it is clear that we could find ourselves with people from other countries on our territories who would not have had the information, especially since this project is not jointly led with any army of neighboring countries. This puts us in front of decision A/DEC5/10/98 of October 31, 1998 of the ECOWAS relating to the regulation of transhumance in the Sahel. So an equation with multiple unknowns. We must win the war while protecting our own and those of others."

Humanitarianism after military actions

refugee camp in the North-central region after a rain

The statement also mentioned the relocation of populations from military areas of interest, but at the same time, what are the planned locations to accommodate these populations and for how long? Especially since we know that the spaces dedicated for this purpose are subject to the control of nature and emergency places like schools will soon receive students. Recently, we have seen images of numerous internally displaced persons' camps flooded. It may be time to step out of uselessness and provide these people and others that the state plans to relocate with a better living environment. This will also be a plus for the country, as so far, there is no emergency evacuation point. A country is also about anticipating the unexpected.

Social Impact of these decisions

The statement from Lt. Col Didier Yves Bamouni regarding the circulation of certain types of vehicles in the regions of Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Center North-East, East, Hauts-Bassins, North and Sahel also poses a problem. It would be interesting for the governors of the various regions concerned to propose a precise geographical delimitation. As we know, times of difficulty inevitably change social norms, but this happens progressively and requires buy-in. Today, in the Hauts-Bassins region and mainly in the provinces of Houet and Tuy, the tricycle remains the preferred means of transportation. Similarly, this vehicle supports thousands of families whose leaders have made these vehicles the sole and primary source of income. The Aloba and Sanili motorcycles in the provinces of Houet and Tuy remain the mobile stores of peddlers who supply neighborhood merchants. For some other reasons, they are also the preferred means of transportation for state officials serving in rural areas. This brings us to the poor state of the rural road network and the poor urban mobility policies. Many Burkinabes today fear hunger more than terrorism. A decision of such magnitude, preceded by the progressive death of purchasing power, would eventually trigger social unrest for which we do not yet have the means to face.

We believe that : - For military zones of interest in the Sahel and East region, the first mission of the State should be to open humanitarian corridors to safe areas, while informing neighboring countries of the State of the area so that they can take appropriate measures for the security of their nationals. - The State should also consider building high-capacity reception centers for internally displaced persons (those who will be newly called upon to move due to operations, those who are in urban centers as homeless people, and those who are in camps and victims of climatic hazards at the moment). This would facilitate their social integration and concurrently reduce security risks associated with their presence outside areas controlled by the State. - For the issue of vehicles, a curfew should be established starting from 6:30 p.m., and regular checks of people driving these vehicles could also be used. (urban areas) - A ban on the importation of these types of vehicles by our local merchants. - Increased customs control, which would prevent these products from entering fraudulently. - The State itself could pay for these means of transportation for our field personnel in order to reduce the shock to wholesale traders of these vehicles.