On Oct. 15 in Washington, D.C., a demonstration commemorated the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Thomas Sankara, the president of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 87.
Sankara was an ardent anti-imperialist, inspired by others engaged in the struggle to overthrow imperialism. His progressive government fought corruption and made profound improvements in education, agriculture and the status of women. He rejected privilege by living modestly, earning a military captain’s wage and driving a Renault 5, the cheapest car sold in Burkina Faso at that time.
Sankara’s policies earned him both the love and respect of the masses, and the hatred of his country’s wealthy elite and international imperialism. He refused to consent to the neoliberal model, repeatedly rejecting onerous loans from imperial France, the former colonial occupier of Burkina Faso.
On Oct. 15, 1987 Sankara was killed along with 12 other government officials in a coup d’etat led by former colleague Blaise Compoare. The Campoare government is still in power today and continues to deny responsibility for the assassination, claiming Sankara died of “natural” causes. To this day, Sankara’s body lies in an unmarked grave, denying his family and loved ones the opportunity to honor his memory with a proper burial.
Around 20 demonstrators gathered in front of the embassy of Burkina Faso on Massachusetts Avenue at 10 a.m. Their purpose was to celebrate Sankara’s legacy and to deliver a message to the corrupt Campoare regime.
Speakers included: emcee Ousainou Mbenga from Gambia, a member of the National Democratic Action Movement and the All African People’s Revolutionary Party; Pauline and Paul Sankara from Burkina Faso, the brother and sister of Thomas Sankara; and Pasamba Jow from Gambia, a member of the People’s Independent Movement for Independence and Socialism.
Jow quoted a famous speech of Sankara’s, saying “a soldier without political education is a virtual criminal.” He added that, unlike Amin of Uganda or Mobutu of the Congo, Sankara never gave in to corruption, always serving the interests of the people.
Members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation were in attendance and showed solidarity by providing placards with slogans including “Neoliberalism is the last stage of imperialism,” and “When the people stand up and fight back, imperialism trembles.” Much of the chanting was in French, the official language of Burkina Faso and a reminder of the history of colonialism in Africa. Chants included: “Down with imperialism” and “A people united will never be defeated.”
Around 11:30 a.m. two delegates entered the embassy and delivered a message calling for justice for Sankara and for the Compoare government to acknowledge its crimes in Burkina Faso, as well as in Liberia, Angola and Sierra Leone.
In closing, Mbenga captured the hopeful spirit of the gathering, quoting Sankara: “Even if you kill me, thousands more Sankaras will be born.”
