Présidence du Faso/Page Facebook
Thousands of people throughout Africa demonstrated in support of Burkina Faso and Captain Ibrahim Traoré in response to recent assault against the Sahel nations, condemning imperialist instability and foreign meddling.
Under the common cry of “Hands Off the AES!” thousands of Africans came together today to show support for Burkina Faso and its revolutionary leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. People’s movements and grassroots organizations spearheaded protests in Ghana, Liberia, and Burkina Faso. Protesters reaffirmed their support for the nation’s fight against imperialist destabilization and harshly denounced foreign meddling.
Following recent disclosures by Burkina Faso’s military officials that they had thwarted a significant coup attempt on April 21, there has been a wave of sympathy across the continent. Under Traoré’s leadership, the government characterized the scheme as an attempt to “sow total chaos” and undo the nation’s revolutionary and sovereign course.
“Under Captain Traoré, Burkina Faso has become a symbol of African dignity and resistance,” stated the Socialist Movement of Ghana, which was involved in the protest of solidarity in Ghana. “We stand with the people of Burkina Faso who are fighting to reclaim their wealth and future from the clutches of neocolonialism.”
Hundreds of people showed their support for their leader by gathering in Nation Square in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, and waving Burkinabe flags.
In its statement, the SMG vehemently denounced what it described as “acts of destabilization and assassination that reactionary forces have perpetuated” and the efforts of international powers to transfer Burkina Faso and other nations in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) “to the humiliating control of France, the US and their NATO allies.”
West African resistance to neocolonialism has been symbolized by the AES, a recently established regional alliance involving Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Following the expulsion of French troops and the termination of military collaboration with former colonial powers, the alliance was established.
SMG compared the present smear campaign to previous Western strategies used to defend regime change in nations like Libya, Iraq, and even Ghana, saying that Langley’s demonization of Captain Traoré is a blatant example of “giving the dog a bad name and hanging it.”
“Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah, Amílcar Cabral, Thomas Sankara…Their only crime was to insist that their countries’ natural resources serve their people,” the statement said, continuing the pattern of Western attacks on independent African leaders.
Despite illegal sanctions and outside pressure, Burkina Faso has rejected the CFA Franc, evicted French military forces, ended exploitative partnerships, and diverted national resources to grassroots development, such as food security, healthcare, and education, under Traoré.
The SMG urged all progressive forces and Pan-Africanists to:
Denounce the foreign meddling and the coup attempt.
Plan protests against imperialism.
Demand that Côte d’Ivoire answer for harboring suspected coup plotters.
Call on ECOWAS and the African Union to protect Burkina Faso’s sovereignty.
Africa is experiencing a growing wind of change, which is reflected in what is happening in the Sahel today. African autonomy, pride, and the right to create systems that represent the values, histories, and aspirations of its people are all affirmed by this growing wave of disobedience.
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