Captain Ibrahim Traoré says Burkina Faso must 'forget' about democracy

Key Points:

• Burkina Faso's military leader, Capt Ibrahim Traoré, declared in a state TV interview that democracy "kills" and urged the people to "forget" about it, suggesting most Africans do not want democratic systems.
• Traoré, who took power in a coup three years ago and initially promised to restore democracy by July 2024, extended military rule for another five years and banned all political parties to "rebuild the state."
• He criticized Western-backed democracy, citing Libya's instability post-Gaddafi as a cautionary example, and emphasized creating a new system based on sovereignty, patriotism, and revolutionary mobilization without copying others.
• Under Traoré's rule, dissent has been suppressed, with opposition, media, and civil society groups targeted, and critics allegedly sent to fight Islamist militants; meanwhile, Burkina Faso has shifted away from Western military support towards Russia.
• Human Rights Watch reported over 1,800 civilian deaths since Traoré's takeover in 2023, with two-thirds attributed to the military and allied militias, highlighting ongoing violence despite changes in governance and military alliances.