CDD Condemn the Coup D Etat in Burkina and call for an Immediate Return of Power to the Transitional Government

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) - West Africa, strongly condemn the coup d etat in Burkina Faso and demand the immediate release of the Interim President, Michel Kafando, Prime Minister, Yacouba Isaac Zida and Ministers, Augustine Loada and Rene Bagoro;held hostage by the , the Regiment of Presidential Security (RSP). We call on the putshist led by General Diendéré Gilbert to immediately cede power to the lawful Transition government. Coup d etat is a thing of the past in West Africa and is no longer welcome.

This unfortunate incident is a flagrant disregard to Burkina Faso Transition Charter, African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) and the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good governance. These normative instruments have consistently denounced unconstitutional change of governments in West Africa and Africa. We therefore call on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union to immediately midwife a return of power to the Transition government and ensure elections hold on October 11 as scheduled. The regional institutions must immediately build upon its successes in Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger and even Burkina Faso to ensure an immediate end to this unconstitutional change in government. West Africa can no longer afford a democratic regression particularly return of military rule.

We call on all citizens group in the country to continue to peacefully protest this unlawful change of government.

The so called National Democratic Council as led by General Diendéré Gilbert should immediately stop the harrassment of citizens. Human rights are not just sacrosant but inalienable. They should note that local and international groups are monitoring development as it unfolds in Burkina and shall not shy away from invoking suprnational and national mechanisms in bringing all perpetrators of human rights abuses to justice. The ongoing trial of Hissane Habre in Senegal should serve as a lesson to all despots, that justice may be long in coming but it shall surely be delivered in Africa of today.

Signed:
Idayat Hassan
Director
CDD was established in the United Kingdom in 1997 and registered in Nigeria in 1999 as an independent, not-for-profit, research training, advocacy and capacity building organisation. CDD was established to mobilise global opinion and resources for democratic development and provide an independent space to reflect critically on the challenges posed to the democratisation and development processes in West Africa. Our mission is to be the prime catalyst and facilitator for strategic analysis and capacity building for sustainable democracy and development in West Africa. The Centre remains focused on capacity building work, policy advocacy, and as a research reference point on democratic governance, human security, people-centred development and human rights.