By Portia Crowe
DAKAR, April 3 (Reuters) – Burkina Faso’s military leader, who seized power in a coup in September 2022, told journalists that “people need to forget about democracy” and that “democracy kills”, the latest sign he aims to rule for the long term.
Ibrahim Traore’s military government had originally committed to organising an election in 2024. But a year after the coup, he said there would be no elections until the country — which has struggled for more than a decade to contain Islamist insurgencies linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State — was safe enough for everyone to vote.
When asked about elections during a roundtable with journalists aired on state television on Thursday night, Traore said his administration was focused on other challenges.
“People need to forget about the issue of democracy,” he said. “We have to tell the truth: democracy isn’t for us.”
Invoking the example of Libya, where he said outsiders tried to “impose democracy”, he added that “democracy kills.”
Traore’s government dissolved all political parties in January, after earlier suspending political activities. Before the coup, the country had more than 100 registered political parties, with 15 represented in parliament after the 2020 general election.
Neighbouring Mali and Niger, also led by military rulers who took power in coups, have similarly dissolved political parties.
Islamist insurgencies in all three countries have killed thousands and displaced millions over the past decade.
Earlier on Thursday, Human Rights Watch published a report indicating that Burkina Faso’s military and its allies have killed more than twice as many civilians as Islamist militants have since 2023.
The government did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters about the report.
(Reporting by Portia Crowe; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Ros Russell)
