Campaore, Bukinabe Sit-tight Leader Resigns over Protest, Flees Town

Blaise Compaoré

Embattled sit-tight President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, Friday, announced that he had resigned from office. This followed violent street protests and the burning of the Parliament building 27 years after he seized power as an army captain in a coup.

He was immediately replaced by Gen. Honoré Nabéré Traoré, the chief of staff of Burkina Faso’s armed forces, who said at a news conference that he would  assume the responsibility of the head of state to fill a vacuum following the resignation of Campaore.
Traore cited need to “save the life of the nation” for his decision to take over the reins of power.

Even as Mr. Compaoré's resignation was broadcast, there were reports that he was attempting to flee the country in a heavily-armed convoy.

The chaotic political demise of Mr. Compaoré, 63, was provoked by a storm of dissent over manipulations to extend his rule indefinitely.

“For my part, I believe, I have fulfilled my duty, my only concern being the higher interest of the nation,” he said in a resignation statement that called for elections within 90 days.

Residents reported that a convoy carrying the president was seen leaving the capital, Ouagadougou, and heading south toward Po, near the border with Ghana. Some reports said barricades had been thrown up to stop him.

According monitored wired services, it was not immediately clear how popular General Traoré's declaration of power would be, since he was regarded as close to Mr. Compaoré. Many protesters had said they favoured the former defence minister, retired Gen. Kouame Lougué, to oversee a transition to new elections.

The announcement from Mr. Compaoré came on the fourth day of turmoil in Ouagadougou, as military commanders met privately and demonstrators urged them to oust the president.

His departure was the culmination of 24 hours of frantic manoeuvring. Mr. Compaoré declared martial law for a few hours on Thursday, then seemed to relent, offering negotiations on a transitional government and rescinding his martial law decree. At one point, General Traoré announced plans to form an interim authority leading to elections in a year’s time.

Overnight, the president said he had “heard the message” from the protesters and understood “the strong desire for change” in the West African nation just below the Sahara whose name is translated as meaning the “Land of the Upright People.”

Mr. Compaoré also abandoned plans to change the Constitution so he could run for office again next year — the issue that had set off the protests. But he rejected calls for his immediate resignation.

On Friday, opposition leaders urged their followers to “keep up the pressure,” rejecting the president’s blandishments and calling for his immediate ouster. Thirty-four opposition groups also said the “precondition for any discussion of a political transition is the unconditional departure, pure and simple, of Mr. Blaise Compaoré.”

As huge crowds gathered in Ouagadougou, one army officer, who was not identified by name, signalled that the military had abandoned the president, telling the increasingly impatient protesters that the “army is henceforth at the side of the people.”

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