Le Balai Citoyen

The Le Balai Citoyen (English: The Citizen's Broom or the Civic Broom,[1] also called simply Balai Citoyen) is a political grassroots movement in Burkina Faso, which was part of the opposition against President Blaise Compaoré. It was co-founded by two musicians, reggae artist Sams’K Le Jah and rapper Serge Bambara ("Smockey") in the Summer of 2013.[2][3] They organized several protests in early 2014, for example hosting a joint rally with the newly formed Movement of People for Progress, filling a 35,000-capacity sports stadium to its rafters.[4]

When the October 2014 Burkinabé uprising broke out the group became a prominent part of the protests, its activists gaining note due to their presence on the streets.[5] President Compaoré was forced to resign and flee the country on 31 October, after 27 years of rule. The presidency was subsequently occupied by the military, which named the pro-protest officer Yacouba Isaac Zida as the country's interim leader. Le Balai Citoyen, which launched a symbolic sweeping of Ouagadougou's streets following Compaoré's departure,[6] has been reported to be supportive of Zida's transitional rule.[7] However, its leaders called for protesters to "remain vigilant and on high alert, to not let anyone steal the victory of the sovereign people."[3]

The movement is part of the Burkinabé Sankarist political tradition, appealing to the legacy and ideals of Captain Thomas Sankara, a radical left-wing revolutionary who ruled the country from 1983 until his death in 1987, killed during a coup orchestrated by his successor Compaoré. Co-founder Sams’K Le Jah received his political education in the Pioneers of the Revolution, the youth movement of Sankara's "Democratic and Popular Revolution".[8]

The movement is named both in reference to "sweeping out" perceived political corruption, and to the regular street-cleaning exercises – initiated by Thomas Sankara – in which citizens would pick up brooms and clean their neighbourhoods, both an act of community development and a metaphor for societal self-sufficiency. Members carry brooms during protests as a symbol of this.[9][8][10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Trowe, Maggie (8 November 2014). "Burkina Faso: Protests depose hated president". The Militant. United States. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  2. ↑ Moussaoui, Rosa (3 November 2014). "Sams’K Le Jah «Les héritiers de Sankara ont grandi, il faut désormais compter avec eux»". L'Humanité (in French). Paris. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  3. 1 2 Mackey, Robert (31 October 2014). "Street-Level Views of the Protests in Burkina Faso". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Cummings, Ryan (5 November 2014). "Burkina Faso and the Harnessing of a Revolution". www.theglobalobservatory.org. International Peace Institute. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Lewis, David (2 November 2014). "'One game too far': the downfall of Burkina Faso's president". Reuters. London. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Après avoir chassé le Président, le « balai citoyen » du Burkina nettoie les rues de Ouagadougou". Rue89 (in French). Paris. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Lt. Colonel Isaac Yacouba Zida Declares Himself As New Leader of Burkina Faso". The Accra Report. Accra. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  8. 1 2 Duval Smith, Alex (30 April 2014). "'Africa's Che Guevara': Thomas Sankara's legacy". British Broadcasting Corporation. London. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "With Brooms and Spatulas, a President for Life is Ousted". Inter Press Service. Rome. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  10. ↑ Kalinaki, Daniel K. (1 November 2014). "Burkina Faso: End of the ‘error’ of Africa’s strongman rule?". The EastAfrican. Kenya. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
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