1983 Upper Voltan coup d'état

Coup that brought Thomas Sankara to power the coup d'état in August 1983 the attempted coup in February 1983 1983 Upper Voltan coup d'état attempt 1983 Upper Voltan coup d'état 4 August 1983 Ouagadougou, Upper Volta Revolutionary victory Thomas Sankara installed as the President of Upper Volta Flag_of_Upper_Volta.svg Government of Upper Volta Conservative armed forces faction Left-wing armed forces faction Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo Thomas Sankara Blaise Compaoré 250 paratroopersArmed civilians 13 killed, 15 wounded On 4 August 1983, a coup d'état was launched in the Republic of Upper Volta (today Burkina Faso) in an event sometimes referred to as the August revolution (French: Révolution d'août) or Burkinabé revolution. It was carried out by radical elements of the army led by Thomas Sankara and Blaise Compaoré, against the regime of Major Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo. Ouédraogo had been brought to power in a 1982 coup with the Conseil de Salut du Peuple (CSP), a body composed of military officials of different ideological backgrounds. The CSP chose Sankara as Prime Minister of Upper Volta in January 1983. As his tenure progressed, Ouédraogo found himself unable to reconcile the conservative and radical factions of the CSP, whose disagreements were leading to a political stalemate. On 16 May he purged his government of pro-Libyan and anti-French elements, disbanded the CSP, and had Sankara and several other important officials arrested. This move sparked discontent among Sankara's supporters. Sankara was eventually released while one officer, Compaoré, began to organise military resistance to the government. Tensions continued to increase until 4 August when Compaoré launched a coup, leading 250 paratroopers in a march on the capital, Ouagadougou. Sankara attempted to broker a political compromise with Ouédraogo, but Compaoré's troops seized the city before this was done and captured Ouédraogo. Sankara became the new president of Upper Volta and created the Conseil National de la Revolution (CNR), a new governing body consisting mostly of populist junior officers. Background 1982 coup and the CSP In 1980 Colonel Saye Zerbo took control of the Republic of Upper Volta in a coup. He installed a mixed military-civilian regime which over time marginalised both the older, conservative senior officers and younger, radical left-wing junior officers in the army.Kandeh 2004 122–123 On 7 November 1982 the conservative and left-wing factions united under conservative Colonel Gabriel Somé Yorian launched a coup which ousted Zerbo.Kandeh 2004 123 The soldiers then formed the Conseil de Salut du PeupleCouncil of the Salvation of the People (CSP), a 120-strong governing body consisting of officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates.Kandeh 2004 123 Two days later the council elected Major Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo as president.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 ii He was a compromise choice between the left-wing radicals and conservatives on the CSP.Harsch 2014 1961 According to Ouédraogo, radical Captain Thomas Sankara was supposed to take power but withdrew at the last minute, leading other officers to choose him to assume the presidency due to his senior rank though, in his words, "against my will". http://www.jeuneafrique.com/83800/archives-thematique/jean-baptiste-ou-draogo/ Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo Lubabu Tshitenge 23 January 2007 Jeune Afrique 7 November 2017 French Unlike Sankara, he lacked political experience and popular support, and was quickly regarded by the left-wing members of the CSP as conservative and sympathetic to policies of France. Nevertheless, the media viewed Ouédraogo and Sankara as united in goals and dubbed them "Siamese twins".Skinner 1989 215 On 21 November Ouédraogo declared that the CSP would restore a constitutional, civilian regime in two years time.Upper Volta Junta Pledges Civilian Rule In Two Years 1982 20 Five days later the CSP installed a formal government. Ouédraogo was the only soldier in the cabinet and, in addition to his role as president, was made Minister of National Defence and Veterans Affairs.Savonnet-Guyot 1986 178 On the whole the CSP exercised true control of the government while Ouédraogo served as little more than a figurehead. The freedoms of labour unions and the press, having been restricted under Zerbo's reign, were restored by the new administration.Englebert 2018 The Conseil de Salut du Peuple: A Prelude to the Revolution The CSP elected Sankara as Prime Minister in January 1983, in effect instituting a power counterbalance to Ouédraogo.Englebert 2018 The Conseil de Salut du Peuple: A Prelude to the Revolution Tensions between Ouédraogo and Sankara Meanwhile, as Sankara toured various communist and socialist countries, rumors circulated among the Voltaic population that the CSP would assume a radical left-wing approach to governing and expropriate small businesses. In an attempt to alleviate concerns, Ouédraogo told members of the National Council of Voltaic Employers that "private initiative will be maintained...you are the primary motor of the country's economic activity".Recent Unsuccessful Coup Attempt Explained 1983 771 Sankara concluded his tour with a visit to Libya. A Libyan transport aircraft landed at Ouagadougou Airport shortly after his return, generating rumours of a plot to install a pro-Libya regime in Upper Volta. Ouédraogo assured the populace that it was "a routine visit, a kind of courtesy call and I think that we must not try to see anything beyond that," and stated that "there should be no talk of setting up a Voltaic Jamahiriya".Recent Unsuccessful Coup Attempt Explained 1983 771 On 26 March Ouédraogo and Sankara held a meeting in the capital, where differences in their beliefs began to emerge. https://www.fratmat.info/index.php/focus/portrait/biographie-de-thomas-sankara-parcours-du-pere-de-la-revolution-burkinabe Biographie de Thomas Sankara : Parcours du père de la révolution burkinabè Biography of Thomas Sankara: Journey of the father of the Burkinabe revolution 15 October 2017 Fraternité Matin Societe Nouvelle de Presse et d'Edition de Cote d'Ivoire 12 November 2017 French 18 November 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211118083416/https://www.fratmat.info/index.php/focus/portrait/biographie-de-thomas-sankara-parcours-du-pere-de-la-revolution-burkinabe dead That day the CSP organised a large rally in the city where a moderate speech by Ouédraogo was much less enthusiastically received than Sankara's radical remarks.Harsch 2014 1962 As his tenure progressed, Ouédraogo found himself unable to reconcile the conservative and radical factions of the CSP, whose disagreements were leading to a political stalemate.Emerson 1991 88–89 On 14 May 1983 the CSP convened in the town of Bobo-Dioulasso. A crowd gathered to hear a message from the council. Sankara spoke until dusk, and the crowd mostly dispersed, its members eager to break their Ramadan fasts. Ouédraogo was in turn left without an audience for his speech, as Sankara seemingly intended in an effort to humiliate him. http://lefaso.net/spip.php?article49628 17 Mai 1983 : Prémices de la Révolution d'août May 17, 1983: Beginnings of the August Revolution Yaméogo Saglba 14 August 2012 lefaso.net Mutations 6 January 2018 French The following day he met with Guy Penne, a top African affairs adviser of President of France François Mitterrand.Harsch 2014 1963 On 16 May he purged his government of pro-Libyan and anti-French elements, disbanded the CSP, and had Sankara and several other important officials arrested.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 iiAccording to Sankara, the two met earlier that day to discuss their differences, but were unable to reach an understanding and thus "separated themselves from being Siamese twins".Skinner 1989 219 Explaining the reasons for the radicals' removal, he said, "It is a problem of ideology...We were following step by step the program of the [Ligue patriotique pour le développement], and that program was to lead us to a communist society."Englebert 2018 The Conseil de Salut du Peuple: A Prelude to the RevolutionThe motives for Ouédraogo's decision are not agreed upon. Some observers attribute the coup to growing pressure from France, while others state that Ouédraogo and the conservatives in the military acted over dissatisfaction with Sankara's relationship with Libya.Emerson 1991 95 According to one account, Somé Yorian had schemed with Penne to remove Sankara. On the morning of 16 May soldiers surrounded Sankara's and Ouédraogo's residences. Somé told Ouédraogo he could dismiss Sankara or be removed from office, and the president assented.Skinner 1989 220 He met again with Penne, who promised his government significant financial aid from France.Harsch 2014 1963 One officer, Blaise Compaoré, evaded capture and escaped to Sankara's former garrison at Pô where he began to organise resistance.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 ii In the following days large demonstrations occurred in Ouagadougou in support of Sankara.Harsch 2014 1963 Ouédraogo's political position was weak; his left-wing opponents were well organised while he did not have reliable connections with the conservative factions he supposedly represented and could only really count on the support of a handful of his former classmates from the Pabré minor seminary. Realising that the use of force was of little recourse, he sought to resolve the situation by appeasing his adversaries.Ouédraogo 1996 264 On 27 May Ouédraogo delivered a speech, promising a quick return to civilian rule and the liberation of political prisoners. He also announced the drafting of a new constitution within six months, to be followed by an election in which he would not participate.President Will Stand Down 1983 6840 He also felt that the increased politicisation of the army was dangerous and compounded the threat of a civil war, so he warned that any soldiers found to be involving themselves in politics would be reprimanded. Stating that the older generation of politicians had been discredited and should retire, he announced that "patriots" and "new men with a sense of responsibility and national realities" should assume leadership of the country.Skinner 1988 443 Ouédraogo finished by expressing his hope that the Upper Voltan youth could avoid the trappings of partisan politics.Skinner 1988 443 Several days later he released Sankara, who was confined under guard to house arrest.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 ii–iii While the situation deteriorated, Ouédraogo accelerated the execution of his goals, liberating many political prisoners held under Zerbo's regime. However, his extension of political rehabilitation to Yaméogo antagonised many politicians whom Yaméogo had repressed.Englebert 2018 The Conseil de Salut du Peuple: A Prelude to the Revolution Sankara was soon rearrested but then released following mounting pressure from Compaoré's troops.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 ii–iii On 4 June Ouédraogo removed a number of pro-Sankara ministers from his government.Quarterly Economic Review 1983 140 Coup thumb|Ouédraogo (pictured in 2020) was ousted by the coup. Tensions continued to increase until 4 August when Compaoré launched a coup.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 iii According to some accounts, Compaoré's forces were moved to act when they received reports that Somé Yorian was planning on deposing Ouédraogo, seizing power, and killing Sankara and his allies.Harsch 2014 1964 Compaoré mobilised 250 paratroopers in Pô to march on Ouagadougou.Kandeh 2004 125 They left in the afternoon with a group of armed civilians and seized trucks from a Canadian construction company, allowing them to make quick progress.Harsch 2014 1964 Meanwhile, Ouédraogo consulted his chief of staff, who advised him to negotiate an end to his political conflict with Sankara. Ouédraogo received Sankara at 19:00 at his residence and offered to resign "to facilitate the establishment of a transitional government that would be unanimous". Sankara agreed to the proposal but asked for a few hours' delay so he could discuss it with Compaoré. He departed at 20:30 but was unable to inform Compaoré or the other putschists of the truce. At around the same time the paratroopers infiltrated the capital and began to seize strategic locations throughout, mounting attacks on the radio station, Camp Guillame—home to the army's armoured detachment, and the gendarmerie headquarters. Civilians aided the putschists by providing them with directions and severing electric lines in the capital.Harsch 2014 1964 At Ouédraogo's residence, men of the Presidential Guard exchanged heavy fire with the putschists before surrendering. Compaoré arrived on the scene at around 22:00, followed by Sankara an hour later. The latter informed Ouédraogo of the "revolution" and offered to exile him and his family. Ouédraogo replied that he would rather remain in the country under the new regime. He was then taken to the Presidential Palace to spend the night. https://blogs.mediapart.fr/bruno-jaffre/blog/030813/le-4-aout-1983-thomas-sankara-prenait-le-pouvoir-avec-laide-de-son-ami-compaore Le 4 août 1983, Thomas Sankara prenait le pouvoir avec l'aide de son ami Compaoré On August 4, 1983, Thomas Sankara took power with the help of his friend Compaoré Jaffré Bruno 3 August 2013 Mediapart 8 January 2018 French The putsch reportedly left 13 people killed and 15 wounded, including six French civilians. 13 Killed in Coup in Upper Volta The New York Times Associated Press 2 6 August 1983 Sankara became the new president of Upper Volta.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 iii He created a Conseil National de la Revolution (CNR), a governing body consisting mostly of populist junior officers,Kandeh 2004 124 as well as members of the Ligue patriotique pour le développement and the Union des Luttes Communistes.Kandeh 2004 125 He gave a speech on national radio declaring the overthrow of the CSP, saying that the purpose of the coup was to "transfer [...] power from the hands of the Voltaic bourgeoise allied with imperialism into the hands of the alliance of popular classes that make up the people."Kandeh 2004 124 He also declared that the CNR would "liquidate imperialist domination" and asked the public to form "Committees for the Defense of the Revolution" to aid in this endeavor.Kandeh 2004 124–125 The speech was broadcast several times in French, Mooré, and Gurunsi.Harsch 2014 1964 A brief curfew was imposed, Ouagadougou Airport was closed, and the borders were sealed. Upper Volta leader fires pre-coup cabinet The Globe and Mail Reuters N5 10 August 1983 Aftermath Fate of Ouédraogo Sankara pledged to afford Ouédraogo "much humanitarianism". On the evening of 5 August the former president was imprisoned at the military camp in Pô. He was discharged from the army on 25 August.Savonnet-Guyot 1986 181 Ouédraogo was granted clemency on 4 August 1985Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 v, 160 and returned to medical work, taking a job at the Hôpital Yalgado-Ouédraogo. Nevertheless, the Sankara regime monitored his activities and restricted him from reentry into the army. Ouédraogo declared that he would not take an active role in politicsBabies Not Barracks Ex-President 1987 129 and from then on he generally showed little interest in involving himself in public affairs. http://lefaso.net/spip.php?article57698 Situation nationale : Que va dire Jean Baptiste Ouédraogo? National situation: What will Jean Baptiste Ouedraogo say? Bazie Grégoire B. 30 January 2014 lefaso.net 6 January 2018 French In 2020 he released a memoir titled Ma part de vérité, in which he offered criticism of Sankara. In response to backlash from the book, he said of Sankara, "there were only political grievances between us, no animosity". https://www.voaafrique.com/a/ma-part-de-v%C3%A9rit%C3%A9-le-livre-de-l-ancien-pr%C3%A9sident-jean-baptiste-ou%C3%A9draogo-fait-pol%C3%A9mique-/5283738.html "Ma part de vérité", le livre de l'ancien président Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo, fait polémique Traoré Lamine 11 February 2020 VOA Afrique Voice of America 10 May 2023 French Foreign reactions The Libyan official news agency, Jamahiriya News Agency, praised the coup. On 6 August Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi extended his formal congratulations to Sankara and dispatched a plane with aid to Upper Volta.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 liii The coup came at a time when Libyan involvement in conflict in Chad was increasing, generating worries among the governments of Niger and the Ivory Coast that the overthrow was a move planned by Gaddafi. Blackburn Peter African leader says 'I'm no pawn of Libya' The Christian Science Monitor 11 August 1983 https://www.csmonitor.com/1983/0811/081152.html In an interview with a French radio station, Sankara stated, "I regret that we are considered pawns of Gaddafi. Colonel Gaddafi is a chief of state who has been able to solve the problems of his country. But Libya is not Upper Volta and Captain Sankara is not Colonel Gaddafi. There is surely a lot to learn in Libya, but we can't copy their experiences and that's why we can't speak of pawns." Volta Coup Leader: 'I'm Not a Pawn' The Boston Globe Associated Press 1 7 August 1983 In a measure to assuage concerns, Sankara sent a message to Ivory Coast President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, expressing a wish to "consolidate the traditional friendship and cooperation" between their countries. He also asked the Libyan government to withhold further flights.Wood 1983 368 The new regime cultivated friendly relations with Libya, Ghana, the Soviet Union, and Albania, while France and the United States progressively ignored it. CNR governance The day following the coup, the CNR issued a decree, reorganising the country into 30 provinces.Rupley Bangali Diamitani 2013 liii On 9 August Sankara dismissed Ouédraogo's cabinet, asking top civil servants to take charge of their ministries until new ministers could be appointed. Compaoré later became minister of state at the presidency and the de facto second-most powerful political leader in the country. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Blaise-Compaore Blaise Compaoré McKenna Amy Encyclopedia Britannica May 11, 2023 The military general staff was dissolved and replaced with a new high command under Major Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lingani. Regime in Volta shaken up The Globe and Mail Reuters 10 12 August 1983 That night, conservative soldiers attempted a counter coup, launching a tripartite attack in Ouagadougou against Sankara's residence, a radio station, and the place where Somé Yorian and a paratrooper commander, Fidele Guebre, were being held. Two of Sankara's guards were wounded, while Somé Yorian and Guebre were shot while trying to escape. A nighttime curfew remained in effect for several months after the coup, and foreigners who visited the country were searched and questioned on their intentions. May Clifford D. African Revolutionary Serenades East and West The New York Times A2 18 November 1983 Sankara declared that the goals of his "revolution" would be to counter imperialism, stem corruption, heighten the status of women, conserve the environment, and improve access to education and health care. On the first anniversary of the coup, he changed Upper Volta's name to "Burkina Faso", roughly translating from the Mooré and Dyula languages as the "land of upright people". https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Sankara Thomas Sankara Ray Carina Encyclopedia Britannica 11 May 2023 During his tenure he pushed programs which improved literacy and school attendance rates, increased women's positions in government, ameliorated infant mortality, and promoted reforestation. Over the course of his tenure, economic difficulties engendered popular opposition and disagreement within his government, as did conservatives' objections to his progressive platform. On 15 October 1987, Compaoré launched a successful coup in which Sankara was killed. Compaoré led Burkina Faso until 2014, when widespread unrest led him to resign and flee the country.https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29851445 Burkina Faso general takes over as Compaore resigns BBC News 31 October 2014 "Burkina Faso president arrives in Ivory Coast", Anadolu Agency, 1 November 2014. See also History of Burkina Faso Notes References Works cited 2 Babies Not Barracks Ex-President Africa Analysis 2 13–37 Africa Analysis Limited London 11 December 1987 https://books.google.com/books?id=gpQ0AQAAIAAJ 0950-902X Babies Not Barracks Ex-President 1987 Emerson Stephen A. 1991 Regime change as an indicator of political instability in Africa and the Middle East, 1979-1985 PhD thesis University of Florida 25350800 304006682 Englebert Pierre Burkina Faso: Unsteady Statehood In West Africa Routledge New York 2018 https://books.google.com/books?id=WNJMDwAAQBAJ 9780429981562 Harsch Ernest Thomas Sankara: An African Revolutionary Ohio University Press illustrated, reprint 2014 Athens https://books.google.com/books?id=hGDGBAAAQBAJ 9780821445075 Kandeh J. Coups from Below: Armed Subalterns and State Power in West Africa Springer 2004 https://books.google.com/books?id=ZTjHAAAAQBAJ 9781403978776 Ouédraogo Édouard Voyage de la Haute-Volta au Burkina Faso Journey from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso Éditions Paalga 1996 Ouagadougou French https://books.google.com/books?id=DLEuAQAAIAAJ 37811810 Ouedraogo's African tour West Africa 1091 West Africa Publishing Company Limited London 2 May 1983 https://books.google.com/books?id=tC4uAQAAIAAJ 0043-2962 Ouedraogo's African tour 1983 President Will Stand Down Africa Research Bulletin Economic, Financial and Technical Series 6840 Blackwell Exeter 1983 933316914 https://books.google.com/books?id=lnsEAQAAIAAJ President Will Stand Down 1983 Quarterly Economic Review of Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Niger, Upper Volta Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 1983 London https://books.google.com/books?id=VV61N1ykJo0C 0142-4513 Quarterly Economic Review 1983 Recent Unsuccessful Coup Attempt Explained West Africa 770–771 Afrimedia International London 0043-2962 28 March 1983 https://books.google.com/books?id=8C0uAQAAIAAJ Recent Unsuccessful Coup Attempt Explained 1983 Rupley Lawrence Bangali Lamissa Diamitani Boureima Historical Dictionary of Burkina Faso Lanham Rowman & Littlefield revised 2013 https://books.google.com/books?id=HnRbA-pYcegC 9780810867703 Savonnet-Guyot Claudette État et sociétés au Burkina: essai sur le politique africain State and Societies in Burkina: Essay on African Politics Karthala Paris Hommes et sociétés 27 1986 French https://books.google.com/books?id=AWdRi2LpnVEC 9782865371488 Skinner Elliott Percival The Mossi of Burkina Faso: Chiefs, Politicians and Soldiers Waveland Press revised 1989 Prospect Heights https://books.google.com/books?id=x1QSAQAAIAAJ 9780881333985 Skinner Elliot P. Sankara and the Burkinabe Revolution: Charisma and Power, Local and External Dimensions The Journal of Modern African Studies 26 3 437–455 Cambridge University Press September 1988 0022-278X 160892 10.1017/S0022278X0001171X 154453966 Upper Volta Junta Pledges Civilian Rule In Two Years Africa News 19 20 Africa News Service Durham 1982 https://books.google.com/books?id=m0EOAQAAMAAJ 0191-6521 Upper Volta Junta Pledges Civilian Rule In Two Years 1982 Wood Michael Upper Volta: Another Piece in Qaddafi's Puzzle? The World Today 364–368 39 10 October 1983 40395436 Upper Volta 08 Upper Volta 08 1983 08 Upper Volta 1983 08 Upper Voltan coup d'etat attempt Category:August 1983 in Africa Category:Sankarism Category:Communism in Burkina Faso Category:Communist revolutions