The Colonialism of:Burkina Faso

By Tyra Robinson

Geography

• Area: 274,200 sq. km. (106,000 sq.mi.); about the size of Colorado.

• Cities: Capital--Ouagadougou (pop.1 million). Other cities--Bobo-

• Dioulasso (410,000), Koudougou(83,000).

• Terrain: Savanna; brushy plainsand scattered hills.

• Climate: Sahelian; pronounced wetand dry seasons.

There are 3 major rivers, the Black, Red, and White Voltas, which run through the center of the country

Mount Tenakourou

Village on top of Mount Tenakourou

Sahel region located at the Southern border of the Sahara Desert

Savanna region located near rainforests

Climate:

Sahelian; pronounced wetand dry seasons

Burkina Faso: Mossi Culture

Pre-colonial

•Mossi entered region 11th to the 13th century as warrior group

11th century A.D. 17th century

Remained in power until the 19th century

Colonial Period

1870

European arrival

•German•British•French

1896

Mossi defeated by French

1899

Upper Volta now military zone

1919

Upper Volta became separate colony

WorldWar I1932

Upper Volta’s territory divided

•Niger

•Mali

•Cote d’Ivoire

“At school we were not allowed to speak our own national languages. We had what they call a symbol; it was a small piece of wood on which they would draw a donkey with big ears.In the classroom if you would speak your national language you would be given this symbol, that piece of wood and it would go around and when we came back, the master would ask who has the symbol, of course you had to say you had the symbol and they would beat you.The donkey means in fact that if you speak your language you speak the language of a donkey. So it was a way really to despise the national language.We were not taught about African history. The part of the African history that was taught was saying that the African leaders, that were regarded as national heroes by the people, were barbarians, they were dictators, they were people who used to kill their own people. They were considered as barbarians by the French textbook.In the meantime they would teach us that the ancestors of the French were our ancestors, we were taught to say that, which was totally ridiculous." The historian recalls the day Senegal gained its independence and the hopes people held for its future. - Abdullah Bathily

The historian recalls the day Senegal gained its independence and the hopes people held for its future.

INDEPENDENCE

Upper Volta gained independence from France on 8/5/1960

First President: Maurice Yameogo

•RDA dominate political force

•Opposition parties banned

Major Lamazina took over on January 4,1966 with military accompaniment

First Republic: •Tight restrictions on government spending•Re-imposed Yameogo’s political ban but promised to restore civilian government in 4 yrs.

Second Republic:•Provided him presidency for 4 yrs.•Allowed military to participate in political institutions .Third Republic:

Limited the number of political parties in the national elections that followed.

Burkina Faso

FROM:TO:

Upper Volta “ Land of the Upright

Men”

Capt. Blaise Compaore came to power in 1978

“He pledged to pursue the goals of the revolution but to “rectify” Sankura’s “deviations” from the original aims. Compaore reversed most of Sankara's policies and combined the leftist party he headed with more centrist parties after the 1989 arrest and execution of two colonels who had supported Compaore and governed with him up to that point.”

1998 - Compaore wins presidential election by a landslide.

1999 June - General strike over economic grievances and alleged human rights violations.

1999 August - State-owned mining company Soremib announces the closure of the country's biggest gold mine.

2000 December - Government agrees to set up UN-run body to monitor weapons imports after allegations that it has been

involved in smuggling arms to rebels in Sierra Leone and Angola.

2004 April - Military tribunal tries 13 people accused of plotting coup against President Compaore in October 2003. Army

captain Luther Ouali jailed for 10 years for masterminding plot.

2005 November - President Compaore wins a third straight term in office.

2006 December - Burkina Faso postpones a regional economic summit after deadly gun battles between police and soldiers

in the capital.

2007 May - The ruling party wins a majority in parliamentary polls.

2008 April - Two-day general strike follows weeks of protests about high living costs and call for wage increases.

2009 April - Parliament passes a law requiring at least 30% of candidates put forward for election by political parties to be

women.

2010 July - France, US issue travel warnings, citing the possibility of kidnappings by al-Qaeda operatives.

2010 November - Gold mine officially opened. Premier Tertius Zongo says it will earn substantial revenue for the country.

Presidential elections. President Compaore gains another term in office.

2011 March - Weeks of violent protests follow the death of a student in police custody.

2011 April - Soldiers, presidential guards mutiny over unpaid allowances. Thousands of people protest over food prices.

2011 July - Seven people are killed when government forces suppress mutiny in Burkina Faso's second city, Bobo Dioulasso.

2012 January - President Compaore sacks head of Burkina Faso's customs service, Ousmane Guiro, following the seizure of

nearly $4m in two large suitcases traced by police to Mr Guiro.

Timeline provided by http://www.bbc.co.uk

Timeline:

“Growth in 2010 was thus led more by consumption than investment.

This led to an increase in imports, particularly petroleum products, the effect of which was largely offset by a strong rise in exports, particularly gold. The current account deficit was thus partially absorbed in 2010 to around 2.7% of GDP. “

military dictatorships

and faltering economies

“Protests are growing against the ruling party and recent upheavals involving the army are tell-tale signs of what may come.”

Burkina is attempting to improve the economy by developing its mineral resources (mostly gold) improving its infrastructure, making its agricultural and livestock more productive and competitive, and stabilizing the supplies and prices of food grains.

The major environmental problems facing Burkina Faso are recurrent drought and the advance of the northern desert into the savanna. This trend toward desertification has been increased by overgrazing of pasture, slash-and-burn agriculture, and overcutting of wood for fuel.

Environment

•food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

•water contact disease: schistosomiasis

Water availability 1,084 cubic meters