Burkino Faso - Mariam Sankara: The Anger Of The People Is Justified

Ladies and gentlemen, dear comrades,

We are gathered here once more for the 27th anniversary of the assassination of President Thomas Sankara and those who fell with him on that 15th day of October 1987. This odious action was followed by other ignominious crimes that touched many minds both inside the country and outside our shores.

Twenty-seven years after the assassination of President Thomas Sankara, the fundamental liberties of the Burkinabés are scoffed at. The majority of the population is unemployed. Their essential needs are not taken care of: food, water, electricity, shelter, education, clothing and health.

The people are no longer under any illusion concerning the policies that jeopardise the development and reputation of Burkina Faso.

Moreover, the ethical values, the foundation of the 4th of August 1983 revolution are no longer of topical interest to the rulers. In contrast to the period of the revolution, the extant regime no longer plays any significant role in the understanding of the real issues of national and African integration; more generally, of the globalisation of the world economy. These issues are shaped at different levels such as sustainable development (environmental degradation and depleting resources), development research, training, promotion of culture, women emancipation, the struggle against inequalities, the promotion of partnership and solidarity at national, continental and international levels.

Despite the disastrous situation that the Burkinabé people endure, the Blaise Campaoré regime wants to hang on to power at all costs by modifying article 37 of the Constitution.

Faced with this new challenge, the Burkinabé people have decided, in their overwhelming majority, to resist by marches which are the expression of the rejection of the policy put in place, disapproval of both the installing of a Senate and the modification of article 37 of the Constitution.

These unprecedented marches demonstrate the weariness of the people in relation to the politics of the CDP whose failure needs no demonstration.

In fact, this regime has created in Burkina a situation where a minority is getting richer while the majority languishes in misery. The growing anger of the people of Burkina is largely justified. Instead of responding to the request of the people, the regime seems to opt for political impasse, knowing fully well that such an option could be such as to provoke a conflagration that could have nasty consequences for the country and a sub region that is already plunged into interminable conflicts.

The people must remain vigilant even as they prepare for change. Our priority today is peace, real democracy and development for a prosperous Burkina. For our country the main issue is organizing free and transparent elections with parties that propose real alternatives for our people. An alternative based on ethical values and the reconciliation of the sons and daughters of Burkina.

To conclude, I call for a gathering of Sankarists and of all progressive forces that aspire to change for the well-being of all Burkinabés.


from here

Unwanted Pregnancy And Abortion In Burkino Faso

One-third of all pregnancies in Burkina Faso are unintended and a third of them end in abortion, according to a study published this month by the University of Ouagadougou and the reproductive health think tank Guttmacher Institute, which also found that more than 100,000 abortions were carried out in the country in 2012, most of them performed in unsafe conditions or by untrained health workers.

Abortion is illegal in most circumstances, but the practice continues in secrecy. In 2008, 25 out of 1,000 women between 15 and 49 years old terminated a pregnancy, the study says. The rate of abortion in rural Burkina Faso is 22 per 1,000 women, and 28 for 1,000 in urban areas. The rate in the capital, Ouagadougou, is 42 out of 1,000.

Almost four in 10 of women who have an unsafe abortion suffer complications and do not receive proper health care.

“It’s alarming, and these are situations that could have been avoided by adopting preventive measures,” said Angele Sourabie, programme director at Burkina Faso Association for Family Welfare (ABBEF).

“In the field we conduct sensitization campaigns for 18-to-24 year olds. Since we cannot prevent them from having sex, we make sure they have safer sex by using contraceptive methods to avoid pregnancies,” Sourabie added.

The study, Unwanted Pregnancy and Abortion in Burkina Faso, recommends the expansion of family planning programmes throughout the country’s primary health services and the provision of family planning counselling and methods, which should be made a routine part of post abortion care.

Georges Guiella, a researcher in demographics and health at the University of Ouagadougou, said that teenagers are the most affected by clandestine abortions because of their low access to family planning methods.

“It is very important to rethink the services of family planning so as to improve the access to contraceptives by this category of teenagers, who are the most vulnerable,” Guiella explained.

 Even though the report calls for easing the legal restrictions on abortion, the health ministry says no amendments are being considered at the moment. Under the law, abortion in permitted only when the woman’s life is in danger, in cases of incest, rape and foetal impairment.

Many women’s organizations and NGOs point out that requirements, such as certification by two doctors to prove a pregnancy resulted from incest or rape, are an obstacle. “Most of the time, the victims will hide and try to clean themselves up because of stigma behind rape or incest,” said Sourabie.

 Full article here