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((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Burkina Faso Conflict Abuses (TV)
HEADLINE: As Conflict Spreads in Burkina Faso, So Do Accusations of Human Rights Abuses
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: Tuesday, 03/02/2022 at: 8:20AM
BYLINE: Henry Wilkins
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Southwest Burkina Faso
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Wilkins
VIDEO EDITOR:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, DLJ, BR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, Other (see courtesies for Twitter, Zoom, Jihadology.net ))
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 3:15
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: Wilkins used his personal computer for Zoom interviews so they are cleared for use.))
((INTRO)) Burkina Faso's six-year conflict with terrorist groups has spread to the southwest of the country and is beginning to spill into neighboring countries. The conflict is also sparking accusations of human rights abuses, as Henry Wilkins reports from southwest Burkina Faso.
((NARRATOR))
Binta Sangare, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, says armed men entered her house one night in November, shouting and shining their flashlights on her.
She says they then kidnapped her husband and disappeared into the night.
((“Binta Sangare,” Witness (in Fulani, ?? secs)))
“Just after they left, we heard gunshots. They killed seven people that night. We found the bodies of six of them and the last one a few days later. We found my husband’s body and buried it.”
She says the men who took her husband away were Burkinabe security forces. At her husband’s funeral, they came again and detained people from the Fulani ethnic group, she says.
((‘Binta Sangare’, Witness (in Fulani, ?? secs)))
“They came to kidnap and kill without cause or investigation. That makes us scared every day.”
(Mandatory Courtesy: Jihadology.net))
((NARRATOR))
Burkina Faso has been battling armed groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaida for six years, as this video on social media purports to show.
In the last year, the conflict has spread south. Reports of extrajudicial killings by Burkinabe security forces – known as the FDS – have increased.
Rights groups say there is a common misconception that Fulanis are behind much of the terror attacks and say Fulanis make up most victims of pro-government forces.
VOA spoke with seven witnesses in the southwest municipality of Djigoue who said relatives were abducted or killed by security forces in November. Some alleged that government-backed civilian militia groups, or VDP’s, have been involved in the deaths and disappearances.
One witness, whose identity also has been protected, said the Dozos, a militia group, shot and killed his nephew. He says terror attacks have increased and that government forces are relying on the Dozos to maintain security.
((Anonymous Accuser of Dozos Repression (in Fulani ?? secs)))
“Now the FDS are staying at their bases and letting the Dozos go out into the bush… At first the FDS were accompanied by the Dozos, and they were interrogating all ethnic groups. But since things are in the Dozos’ hands, they are only interested in the Fulani.”
((NARRATOR))
One Burkinabe human rights group - The Collective Against Impunity and the Stigmatization of Communities – says 17 people were murdered in Djigoue, in November.
In a VOA interview, the group’s founder called on Burkinabe leaders to act.
((Daouda Diallo, CISC Founder (in French, ?? secs)))
“Urgently suspend the issues of the VDPs and the armed civilians… We strongly hope that they take into account the international respect of human rights, the sacredness of human life.”
((Mandatory Courtesy: https://twitter.com/AdrienBarbier))
((NARRATOR))
Human Rights Watch says the FDS - which took power from a democratically elected government in January - have carried out many extrajudicial killings since the conflict began.
((Mandatory Courtesy: Zoom)))
(Corinne Dufka, Human Rights Watch in West Africa (in English, ??secs)))
“To the best of my knowledge, no one, no security force members have been held accountable for these very serious allegations of abuses in counter terrorism operations.”
((NARRATOR))
The FDS did not respond to a request for comment.
((Henry Wilkins, for VOA News, Southwest Burkina Faso))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateMarch 2, 2022 09:20 EST
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
