The Burkinabe government says it backs dialogue at local level in committees but denies negotiating with jihadist groups.
According to the Minister of Social Cohesion and National Reconciliation, Yéro Boly, the government supports “local dialogue committees for the restoration of peace, endogenous dialogue initiatives with local fighters wishing to lay down their arms.”
“The local dialogue committees for the restoration of peace are endogenous initiatives encouraging the return of young people, Burkinabes who have joined armed terrorist groups and who now wish to lay down their arms,” explained the minister.
This initiative of the Burkinabe government was advocated by ISS Africa in its research, “if the legislation allows it, the authorities can encourage a mitigation of sentences for some convicts. Once demobilized, individuals should also be able to benefit from a rigorous social insertion plan,” said Hassane Kone, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in Africa (ISS Africa), in an interview with APA News.
Kone is convinced that “most of the Islamist fighters are nationals, a majority of them having joined these groups not for ideological reasons, but for political or social reasons.”
He said Burkina Faso, which has been plagued by jihadism since 2013, is thus committed to this inclusive approach and maintained that a “plan for reintegration into society through professional activities will be put in place for these young Burkinabè who would lay down their arms.”
“For example, if you want to do what you did before, that is to say breeding, we will find a way to accompany you so that you can start. If you want to do agriculture, it will be the same,” said Boly.
According to the regime of Paul Henri Damiba Sandaogo, who seized power from civilian president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré on January 24, 2022, “this is an opportunity to accompany these initiatives of endogenous dialogue, which should allow us to achieve appeasement and a return of peace in our country, Burkina Faso.”
But this is not a negotiation between the government of Burkina Faso and the armed groups, the Minister of State hastened to point out, but rather “endogenous initiatives to establish communication between the sons and daughters of Burkina Faso who have broken off dialogue with the nation and the authorities of their respective localities.”
CD/lb/as/APA