October 31, 2014
Burkina Faso’s army chief has taken power in the country following the resignation of longtime President Blaise Compaore.
General Honore Traore told reporters Friday in Ouagadougou that he was taking on “the responsibilities as head of state.”
Traore said his administration would begin talks with political stakeholders immediately with a view to restoring “normal constitutional order.”
The general first exerted power Thursday when he announced plans for a transitional government and ordered a dusk-to-dawn curfew after violent protests in the capital against Compaore.
Compaore announced his resignation Friday and called for a 90-day transition leading to elections.
Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said the secretary-general was following Burkina Faso developments with “great concern” and was urging “calm, restraint and dialogue.”
Dujarric said the U.N. special envoy for West Africa, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, had arrived in Ouagadougou as part of a joint mission that includes the president of ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) and the African Union commissioner for political affairs.
Chambas is expected to meet with all political stakeholders as well as religious and traditional leaders.
Former colonial power France quickly said it welcomed Compaore’s resignation. It called for calm in the West African nation and said it supported the “rapid holding of democratic elections.”
Burkina 24 television reported that the former president left his palace in a heavily armed convoy.
Compaore ruled Burkina Faso for 27 years after seizing power in a 1987 coup.
Unrest broke out Thursday as lawmakers prepared to vote on a constitutional amendment that would have allowed Compaore to run for another term. The government withdrew the amendment after hundreds of protesters stormed and set fire to the parliament building.
More protesters gathered in the streets of Ouagadougou on Friday, but there was no repeat of Thursday’s violence.
Some material for this report came from Reuters.
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In Burkina Faso, Protesters Set Parliament Ablaze (Video & Photos)
Protesters angry at plans to allow Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaore to extend his 27-year-rule have set fire to parliament. (BBC News)
Correspondents say the city hall and ruling party headquarters are also in flames in the capital, Ouagadougou.
A huge crowd is surging towards the presidential palace and the main airport has been shut.
MPs have suspended a vote on changing the constitution to allow Mr Compaore to stand for re-election next year.
Five people have been killed in the protests, among the most serious against Mr Compaore’s rule, reports BBC Afrique’s Yacouba Ouedraogo from the capital.
The military fired live bullets as protesters stormed parliament, our correspondent says.
Journalists are now gathered outside the defence ministry awaiting a statement from the military, he says.
Witnesses say dozens of soldiers have joined the protests, including a former defence minister, Gen Kouame Lougue.
The main opposition leader, Zephirin Diabre, has called on the military to side with “the people” and has demanded the resignation of the president.
Read more and watch video at BBC News »
Photos: Protesters Storm Burkina Faso Parliament (VOA)
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