Ideology and praxis in thomas sankaras populist revolution of 4 august 1983 in btrkina faso guy martin this article is an inquiry into the origins, the ideological basis, political and economic organization and prospects of the populist revolution ushered in burkina faso formerly upper volta by the military coup d6tat of 4. I the undersigned, hereby voluntarily, without any personal or business interest, have chosen out of my free will and without prejudice to serve the public as an elected representative of the people an employee in the public sector. Carefully study excerpt of bourkina fasos late president thomas sankaras speech below and discuss how he used ethos, pathos and logos to persuade the audience. Find highquality thomas sankara stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. Thomas sankara 19491987 was unique among late 20th century presidents in africa and beyond. The foundation building the memorial and the museum insists, however, that it be build by the people and not the state. His declaration that fundamental sociopolitical change would require a certain amount of madness drove the burkinabe revolution and resurfaced in the countrys popular uprising in 2014. This is a selection of five speeches by thomas sankara, the central leader of the 198387 revolution in the west african country of burkina faso formerly upper volta. Sankara was the first president of burkina faso, an authentic revolutionary who managed in just four years to transform his society and his homeland in a way it is doubtful most would believe to be possible if told, before his assassination in 1987 and the destruction of his. A leader of the poor shouldnt live luxuriously while the people suffer.
The upright man, thomas sankara africa is a country. Sankaras roman catholic parents wanted him to be a. He saw no need to develop a cult of personality around him. No leader on earth in the past 500 years not even nelson mandela can reckon with his political, economic and social achievements. The most common commercial crop is thomas sankara was born in northern french upper volta in the year into a family that allowed him greater educational opportunities, and a chance to seek the benefits of a career in the military. Upon being met by a group of armed men in his own office on october 15, 1987, thomas sankara raised his arms in surrender. The thomas sankara oath black first land first blf. Thomas sankara president of burkina faso britannica. That is why sankara, participating in his last summit in addis ababa in july 1987, had shouted at african leaders asking them to form a united front to demand the cancellation of illegitimate african debt.
Surprisingly, the countercoup in october 1987 that led to his death was led by his friend blaise compaore who had now turned against sankaras ideas. There is a sankara for economics, a cultural sankara, an avantgarde sankara, a sankara for the democratization. Like fidel and che, sankara believed in the men and women so arrogantly dismissed by the rulers of the imperialist world. The approximate timing of his appearance in the country coincided with the assassination of president thomas sankara, the charismatic revolutionary leader of burkina faso, on 15 october 1987.
Behind the lines of the burkina faso uprising duration. Despite his high station he identified with commoners. Thomas sankara had great belief in people not just the people of burkina faso or africa, but people across the world. The life, politics and legacies of thomas sankara, murrey a. On october 4th, 1984, thomas sankara addressed the general assembly of the united nations.
Historia ya rais thomas sankara aliyeuliwa na rafiki yake ikulu duration. Harsch is a columbia university professor and formerly a journalist in africa during sankaras rule. Sankara went into the highest office in burkina faso when he became president, but he didnt use it to enrich himself. The land reforms and social rights secured under his reign can only be admired and defended. It was a historical speech, as only he, the great orator, could speak. Nearly thirty years after his assassination, african revolutionary thomas sankara is still inspiring the struggle for selfdetermination. Sankara was a truly remarkable leader and transformed burkina faso into a proud, antiimperialist nation. Thomas sankara speaks pathfinder press, 2007, 447 pages the life of the great african hero thomas sankara this is a compilation of some of the great speeches made by the great african hero, the burkina faso president thomas sankara, who between 1983 to 1987 led one of the great african revolutionary governments. The fall of captain sankara, or why you cant make revolution without the masses his chest riddled with bullets, his kalashnikov lying a few feet away in the dry dust of ouagadougou, the captain of the burkina faso revolution, thomas sankara, was cut down in a palace coup on october 15, 1987. Pdf a political biography of thomas sankara 19491987. Sankara came to power in what was then the republic of upper volta in a popularlysupported 1983 military. Thomas sankara decreed that his portrait should not be displayed all over the country in official buildings as is the norm in africa.
Sankara s roman catholic parents wanted him to be a priest. A quarter century after the 15 october 1987 assassination of thomas sankara in a military coup, the late president of burkina faso remains a nearmythical hero for many young people in his country. Thomas sankara was killed on october 15, 1987 in a coup that brought blaise compaore, his close friend, to power. There is a certain tragedy in the life of thomas sankara, and it is not at first glance obvious. Peasants, workers, women, and youth mobilized to carry out literacy and immunization drives. Ghanaian authorities eventually jailed taylor twice for his increasingly subversive activities. Thomas sankaras revolutionary legacy lives on december 9, 2009 by demba moussa dembele thomas sankara, the revolutionary leader of the west african nation burkina faso from 1983 to 1987, was killed in the belief that it could extinguish the example he set for african youth and progressive. His political leadership was guided by a propeople militant activism that brought together strands of radical antiimperial panafricanism, marxistleninism, feminism, agroecological approaches to food justice, and more. Official government reports from 1987 state that sankara had passed away from natural causes, but an autopsy performed in 2015 following the exhumation of his unmarked grave tells a different tale. A fervent panafricanist and admirer of the great ghanaian leader, thomas sankara endorsed this statement of truth by president nkrumah. Sankara replied, when it comes to ideology, were not virgins. Although his tenure in office was relatively short, sankara left an indelible mark on his countrys history and development. Sankara set ambitious goals to reduce poverty in burkina faso and championed. Since its independence from france on 5 august 1960 to 15 october 1987, burkina faso, the land of the upright people, has experience five changes in government.
He believed change must be creative, nonconformist indeed containing a certain amount of madness. What are rsocialisms thoughts on thomas sankara and. For those who are familiar with it, the life of thomas sankara has a certain shakespearean quality. Ernest harsch institute of african studies at columbia university, new york, usa. Thomas sankara, often called the african che guevara, was president of burkina faso, one of the poorest countries in africa, until his assassination during the military coup that brought down his government. Under sankaras leadership, the revolutionary government of burkina faso in west africa set an electrifying example. Whatever they did, thomas sankara remains alive forever. He was a genuine and dynamic leader who came to power on a continent thats mostly known for kleptocrats and entrenched dictators. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else.
He believed radical change would only come when people were convinced and active, not passive and conquered. However, sankara came to power via a military coup rather than socialist revolution. Sankarism also written sankaraism is a term sometimes applied to denote a leftwing ideological trend within the political milieu of burkina faso, a landlocked country in west africa, as well as the policies of the military government led by captain thomas sankara. We learn from thomas sankara that the leaders of the people must not live lifestyles which are parasitic on the people. It also happens to be the firstever english language biography of. Sankara, as fidel so memorably said of che, did not think that man is an incorrigible little animal, capable of advancing only if you feed him grass db 10 31082007 21. Compaore himself, was deposed in october 2014 by the masses who opposed his bid to change the countrys constitution and extend his 27 year hold on power. Of course he quickly denied any involvement in the assassination and by the evening of sankaras death he became the president. Thomas sankara was one of africas most important antiimperialist leaders of the late 20th century.
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