Burkina president rejects opposition calls to step down after violence (updated)

Renegade Gold

31/10/2014 24:06

* Tens of thousands protest against bid to extend Compaore's 
rule 
    * Military says government, national assembly has been 
dissolved 
    * President says willing to open talks on transitional 
government 
    * Emergency services say at least three protesters shot dead 
 
 (Adds President Compaore's statement) 
    By Mathieu Bonkoungou and Joe Penney 
    OUAGADOUGOU, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Burkina Faso's President 
Blaise Compaore said on Thursday he would stay in power at the 
head of a transitional government until after elections, 
rejecting opposition calls for him to step down immediately 
following a day of violent protests. 
    The head of the armed forces, General Honore Traore, had 
earlier dissolved parliament and announced talks with all 
political parties to create an interim government to take the 
West African country to democratic elections within a year. 
    The move came after at least three protesters were shot dead 
and scores wounded in clashes with security forces as 
demonstrators attacked the homes of senior members of the ruling 
party and symbols of Compaore's long rule.  
    Hundreds of people had earlier stormed parliament, looting 
the building and setting it on fire, while others ransacked 
state television, forcing it off the air.  
    Protests also gripped Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina's 
second-largest city, and other towns across the gold and 
cotton-producing country. 
    "I have heard the message, understood it and taken note of 
strong desire for change," Compaore said in a statement 
broadcast on BF1 TV. "I am available to open talks on a 
transitional period at the end of which I will hand over power 
to the democratically elected president."  
    Compaore, who seized power in a military coup in 1987, said 
he had dissolved his government and was lifting martial law that 
was announced earlier in the day.  
    He also scrapped plans for an unpopular constitutional 
amendment that would have allowed him to seek reelection next 
year, a prospect that had sparked Thursday's protests. 
    Regional West African bloc ECOWAS had said earlier on 
Thursday that it would not accept any party seizing power 
through non-constitutional means - suggesting diplomatic 
pressure to leave Compaore in place. 
    A delegation from the African Union, the United Nations and 
ECOWAS was due in Burkina Faso on Friday to hold talks with all 
parties involved. 
     
    "BLAISE LEAVE" 
    Protesters had faced off with security forces for several 
hours outside the presidential palace as opposition leaders held 
talks with senior military officials in an attempt to ease 
Compaore from power.  
    Both opposition politicians and ordinary demonstrators made 
it plain they did not want any role for Compaore in a 
transition.      
    "We want Blaise Compaore to leave. We want change," said 
George Sawadogo, a 23-year-old student.     
    The fate of Compaore, a close military ally of the United 
States and former colonial power France, will be closely watched 
by other governments across West and Central Africa, where a 
number of long-serving leaders are reaching the end of their 
constitutional terms.  
    Burkina Faso is one of the world's poorest nations but has 
positioned itself as a mediator in regional crises. It is also a 
key ally in Western operations against al Qaeda-linked groups in 
West Africa. 
    White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan had earlier said 
in a statement that the United States was deeply concerned by 
the deteriorating situation in Burkina Faso and called on all 
parties to end the violence and respect democratic norms.  
    France, which has a special forces base there that conducts 
operations across the Sahel, also appealed for restraint by all 
sides. Its ambassador had held talks with opposition leaders on 
Thursday.  
 
    CONCERN ABOUT PROSECUTION 
    Compaore has ruled the nation with a firm grip but has faced 
increasing criticism in recent years, including defections by 
members of his party. He weathered a military and popular 
uprising in 2011 thanks to the support of his elite presidential 
guard. 
    Diplomatic pressure had mounted over the past year for 
Compaore to step down in 2015, amid calls from his own entourage 
for him to seek re-election, diplomats said. 
    A letter from French President Francois Hollande to Compaore 
earlier this month, seen by Reuters, offered France's support in 
finding him a job with an international organisation. 
    Diplomats, however, say Compaore has been concerned about 
the possibility of losing his immunity from prosecution, 
particularly in the wake of the trial of former Liberian leader 
Charles Taylor in the Hague. 
    Burkina Faso's former president Thomas Sankara, a leftist 
leader dubbed Africa's Che Guevara, was killed in the coup that 
swept Compaore to power. Protesters in the streets of 
Ouagadougou waved photographs of Sankara and signs reading, 
"Sankara look at your sons. We are fighting your fight." 
    At the headquarters of state television, which was forced 
off the air after the building was taken, jubilant protesters 
posed on the set of the evening news programme. 
    Burkina Faso, the fourth-largest gold producer in Africa, is 
home to several international mining firms including TrueGold 
 TGV.M , IamGold  IMG.TO  and Randgold Resources  RRS.L . 
    "There's been no impact on our operations whatsoever," said 
Doug Reddy, senior vice president for business development at 
Endeavour Mining  EDV.TO , which has a mine near the southern 
border with Ghana. "Obviously, we're monitoring the situation 
and we're keeping in touch with our people in the mine." 
 
 (Additional reporting by Daniel Flynn, David Lewis and Bate 
Felix in Dakar, Joe Bavier and Ange Aboa in Abidjan, John Irish 
in Paris; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Tom Heneghan and 
Ken Wills) 
 ((david.lewis2@thomsonreuters.com)(Dakar Newsroom +221 
338645076)(Reuters Messaging: 
david.lewis2.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.com)) 
 
Keywords: BURKINA POLITICS/