A "Sankarist" political party, particularly the treatment of its members by government authorities in 2004 and during the time leading up to the November 2005 election (2004 - October 2005) [BFA100630.FE]

Burkina Faso is home to a number of so-called "Sankarist" political parties (MTP 11 Oct. 2005; Leftist Parties of the World 28 Feb. 2005; Elections Around the World 19 Oct. 2004; Xinhua 6 Sept. 2005), including the Convergence for Social Democracy (Convergence pour la démocratie sociale, CDS) (MTP 11 Oct. 2005; Leftist Parties of the World 28 Feb. 2005); the Convergence of Hope (Convergence de l'espoir) (ibid.; Xinhua 6 Sept. 2005; MTP 11 Oct. 2005); the Democratic and Popular Rally (Rassemblement démocratique et populaire, RDP) (ibid.; Leftist Parties of the World 28 Feb. 2005); the Movement for Tolerance and Progress (Mouvement pour la tolérance et le progrès, MTP), also known as Moog Teeb Panpaasgo (ibid.; Sidwaya 2 Sept. 2005; MTP 11 Oct. 2005), or [translation] "hope for a better world" (ibid.); the National Patriots' Party (Parti national des patriotes, PNP) (ibid.; Leftist Parties of the World 28 Feb. 2005); the Sankarist Democratic Front (Front démocratique sankariste, FDS) (ibid.; MTP 11 Oct. 2005); the Sankarist Panafrican Convention (Convention panafricaine sankariste, CPS) (Elections Around the World 19 Oct. 2004; Leftist Parties of the World 28 Feb. 2005); the Social Forces Front (Front des forces socials, FFS) (ibid.; Xinhua 6 Sept. 2005; MTP 11 Oct. 2005); the Union for Renaissance/Sankarist Movement (Union pour la renaissance/Mouvement sankariste, UNIR/MS) (ibid.; Leftist Parties of the World 28 Feb. 2005); and the Union of Independent Democrats and Patriots (Union des démocrates et patriotes indépendants, UDPI) (ibid.; MTP 11 Oct. 2005).

Speaking from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, during an 11 October 2005 telephone interview, the president of the MTP, a "moderate Sankarist" party (Leftist Parties of the World 28 Feb. 2005), stated that he knew of no cases in which a member of a self-declared Sankarist party had run into problems with the authorities because of his or her political persuasion. He explained that Sankarists in particular experienced government repression in the years following former president Thomas Sankara's death in 1987, but since the beginning of 2000, no one, to his knowledge, has encountered repressive treatment as a result of membership in a Sankarist party (MTP 11 Oct. 2005).

The president of the MTP indicated that in anticipation of the 13 November 2005 election, only his party, the FFS [led by Norbert Michel Tiendrébéogo (Leftist Parties of the World 28 Feb. 2005)], and the UNIR/MS [under Bénéwendé Sankara (ibid.)] have put forward candidates (MTP 11 Oct. 2005).

During an 11 October 2005 telephone interview, the executive secretary of the Burkina Faso Movement for Human Rights (Mouvement burkinabé des droits de l'homme et des peuples, MBDHP), an affiliate of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), indicated that his organization knew of no cases in the last five years in which members of parties affiliated with the Sankarist movement had had problems with government authorities because of their political allegiance, excepting that of FFS president Norbert Tiendrébéogo, who was arrested, jailed, tried and then acquitted of conspiring against national security in 2004. The executive secretary of the MBDHP explained that other arrests were made at the time of Norbert Tiendrébéogo's and that those arrested, however, had different political leanings or did not belong to any political party (MBDHP 11 Oct. 2005).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Elections Around the World. 19 October 2004. "Elections in Burkina Faso." http://www.electionworld.org/burkinafaso.htm [Accessed 7 Oct. 2005]

Leftist Parties of the World. 28 February 2005. "Burkina Faso." http://www.broadleft.org/bf.htm [Accessed 7 Oct. 2005]

Mouvement burkinabé des droits de l'homme et des peuples (MBDHP). 11 October 2005. Telephone interview with the executive secretary.

Mouvement pour la tolérance et le progrès (MTP). 11 October 2005. Telephone interview with the president.

Sidwaya [Ouagadougou]. 2 September 2005. Aimé Mouor Kamblre. "Élection présidentielle 2005: '... le MTP, premier parti sankariste mûr pour diriger...', selon Nayabtigoungou Congo Kaboré." (AllAfrica) http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200509020220.html [Accessed 7 Oct. 2005]

Xinhua News Agency [Beijing]. 6 September 2005. "Burkina Faso: Quatre partis de l'opposition s'unissent pour la transparence de l'élection présidentielle." (Online edition of Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent) http://www.lintelligent.com/gabarits/articleDEP_online.asp?art_cle=XIN00405quatrelleit0 [Accessed 7 Oct. 2005]

Additional Sources Consulted


Publications: Africa Confidential, Africa Research Bulletin, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Political Parties of the World, Resource Centre country file.

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica, Amnesty International, ECOI.net, Fasonet, FIDH, HRW, IRIN, ReliefWeb.

Verknüpfte Dokumente