In the past week, over one hundred civilians were murdered by Burkina Faso government forces and corresponding militias. The attacks occurred in Solenzo, a town in the country’s West, and the event has been marked as a “massacre” by Human Rights Watch.
The attack was led by Burkinabé special forces and resulted in numerous deaths, as well as the displacement of Fulanis. The Fulani are a predominantly muslim group, and have long been accused by the government of supporting Islamist extremist militant groups. However, this allegation has been denied by multiple local leaders. The attacks have displaced thousands and killed millions, persisting despite promises by Burkina Faso’s military leaders to deal with them.
The killings are a result of an enormous weeks-long military campaign by special forces, resulting in major damage to such a large community of citizens within the country. Additionally, it is believed that Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin(JNIM), a militant group affiliated with Al-Qaeda, carried out multiple revengeful attacks, targeting villages that they perceive as having assisted the national army. Witnesses who have been quoted by Human Rights Watch (HRW) claim that hundreds of government troops and drones, along with a pro-government militia named the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), were involved in multiple attacks on Solenzo and other Western villages. A 44-year-old Fulani herder, having lost eight family members in the attacks, told HRW that many thousands of families from over twenty villages have been forced to flee to the adjacent nation of Mali in search of protection.
Although video evidence of the attacks was posted on social media, proving the point that the government was likely involved in instigating the attacks, officials have repeatedly denied every claim against them, stating that the video, “condemned the propagation, on social, of images inducing hate and community violence, and fake information aimed at undermining social cohesion.” Authorities didn’t immediately reply to requests for comments on the government’s actions. A 53-year-old man from Solenzo has recalled, “ Today, in the whole province, there are no more Fulani – they all fled or were killed or taken hostage… but the other (ethnic) communities remain.” Burkina Faso’s situation is an instance of an incredibly harsh reality that we as citizens of the world face. The death, destruction, and pain that come from launching such large-scale attacks and massacres of people based on their ethnicity, religious affiliation, and other aspects of identity are what keep the global community from reaching true self-actualization. Time will be the primary factor that will determine Burkina Faso’s future.
Written by Alexandra Kwitkowski
