In a message to the nation on Saturday 10 December, the eve of the 62nd anniversary of Burkina Faso’s independence, Captain Ibrahim Traoré said that Burkina Faso is not independent because of the occupation of part of the land by jihadists. This is why the president of the transition invited the entire people to fight and to change their behaviour. Here is his speech
“Dear compatriots, fighting people of Burkina Faso, from the interior and the Diaspora,
December 11, 2022. This date marks the 62nd anniversary of Burkina Faso’s independence. I am not going to give you a speech this year, because this is not a time for celebration. Our independence has not been achieved, because our land is occupied. Our economy is in its infancy and our hands are tied. That is why I wanted to address you through this little message at this particular time.
A few weeks ago, the fate of the country changed on 30 September. We said that we are outraged, and today, on the anniversary of Independence Day, we are even more outraged. The fight for full independence started a few weeks ago. And this fight necessarily involves weapons, but also our values, our behaviour and the recovery of our economy. The battle against the enemy occupying our land is beginning. This battle is in its early stages.
This is the place for me to congratulate the units engaged in the first ground and air actions; to encourage them for their self-sacrifice and all that they give for this nation. To those units that were still engaged a few months ago, if not several months ago, and are still holding their ground, I congratulate them once again. To the living forces of the nation, we say thank you for the appeal we were able to make to the entire population. This call has been heard, and I would like to congratulate everyone for their commitment, especially for the VDPs and also for the support of the army.
The supplies that have followed in recent days, I can assure you that we have been filled by Burkinabè who have agreed to give us their trucks to go and supply Burkinabè. This shows that solidarity is emerging. That’s all we ask.
For the supervision and training of the VDPs, we have received donations of all kinds, from food to equipment to infrastructure work. We are grateful to those people who are becoming united, showing solidarity in this battle. We need it and thank you again.
To the Burkinabè of the Diaspora, we say thank you for all the contributions in kind and in cash. Moreover, we have met with the social partners in this sense to ask for more sacrifice from the Burkinabè so that this struggle is led by the Burkinabè to free the land of Burkina Faso. We wanted to pass on this message to say thank you once again to all the people who are fighting, to all those who are accompanying us, whether they are Burkinabè or not. On this day, therefore, we are not going to celebrate because the fight that is underway must contribute to our total independence.
On that note, I call on all Burkinabè to change their behaviour, to revise their values, because this battle for total independence involves the war we wage with our weapons. But as I said earlier, by the economy too. This battle on the economic side necessarily involves the fight against corruption. This struggle is also underway. Our struggle will only end when all the children of Burkina Faso have enough to eat and sleep peacefully in their country. We are committed to this and we will fight this battle. Our hope is even greater. We have no doubt about what will happen and the future of this battle.
Stay confident, stay united, stay mobilised behind the defence and security forces, stay united and mobilised behind our valiant VDP, and hope is allowed, because we will not give up, we will go to the end of this fight for the total independence of our homeland.
Thank you, dear compatriots.
I cannot end without wishing a speedy recovery to all the victims of this barbaric act and pray once again that the souls of the deceased may rest in peace.
Thank you dear compatriots.
Fatherland or death, we will win!
