Burkina Faso’s president, Ibrahim Traoré, did not hold back as he addressed the media recently, voicing his deep frustrations over the role certain groups have played in destabilizing the Sahel region.
“As for those, we will fight them here,” he declared firmly. “So, we must remember something. Recently, there is a so-called NGO. It’s not even an NGO. Because NGO stands for non-governmental organisation. They are not non-governmental because they are funded by a federal budget by a state.”
President Traoré accused the group of publishing false reports that seek to tarnish the reputation of Burkina Faso’s Defence and Security Forces (FDS) and Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP).
“This so-called NGO produces reports claiming that the FDS and the VDP commit abuses. It went in here. It came out there. It’s to tarnish your morale. It’s to scare you, to prevent you from being able to fight. No.”
With passion and determination, he announced that Burkina Faso would be taking action. “Moreover, we are going to file a complaint against this NGO. Because people need to understand something.”
Reflecting on the root causes of insecurity in the region, President Traoré pointed to the international meddling that destabilized Libya.
“What is happening to us here? It’s true that they have manipulated part of our populations in the Sahel here. But they didn’t have that kind of weaponry. What brought such significant weaponry into their ranks? It’s Libya. Who destroyed Libya? It’s this NGO.”
He continued, laying blame squarely on the NGO’s false reporting.
“The same NGO that made false reports and gave them to those who wanted to create a rebellion so that people would intervene and overthrow Gaddafi.
“And the powder keg ended up being poured into the Sahel. These millions of lives that have been taken in the Sahel, we must file a complaint against this NGO because it is responsible for these false reports it made to support this thesis of attacking Libya.”
