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Protests Erupt in Burkina Faso After Political Compromise Leader of Burkina Faso Coup Promises to Hand Back Power
(about 3 hours later)
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — The streets of Burkina Faso’s capital erupted in protests Monday and military commanders said they were marching toward the city after West African leaders announced a compromise that might allow allies of the country’s ousted president to return to power. OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — With troops converging on the capital on Monday and angry protests in the streets, the general who seized power last week in Burkina Faso apologized to the nation and promised to hand power back to civilian authorities.
Under the compromise, which was denounced by demonstrators, loyalists of the former president, Blaise Compaoré, would be allowed to participate in elections to be held by Nov. 22. The coup leader, Gen. Gilbert Diendéré, said in a statement Monday evening that, “given the seriousness of the security situation” and the risk of “chaos, civil war and massive violation of human rights,” he and his followers would stand down once a political compromise brokered by West African leaders was in place. The statement said the coup leaders “deplored the loss of lives, injuries and damage” from the political crisis and would “work for the cohesion of the army.”
Mr. Compaoré left office in October after a popular uprising against his plan to extend his 27 years in power. But last week leaders of the Presidential Security Regiment, which Mr. Compaoré founded, seized power. They ousted the country’s interim president, Michel Kafando, and its prime minister, Lt. Col. Isaac Zida. Gen. Gilbert Diendéré, who had been chief of staff to Mr. Compaoré, took control of the country. The country has been in turmoil since the coup, which was mounted by an elite army unit loyal to the country’s former president, Blaise Compaoré. He was forced from office last October by mass protests against his plans to extend his tenure beyond the 27 years he had already held power.
After three days of tense negotiations, a team led by President Macky Sall of Senegal, the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, announced a plan on Sunday under which General Diendéré would step aside, Mr. Kafando would be returned to office and allies of Mr. Compaoré would be allowed to participate in elections, which were originally scheduled for Oct. 11. The transitional government led by Mr. Kafando and Mr. Zida had refused to allow the old guard to participate in the elections. The interim government that replaced Mr. Compaoré barred his supporters from taking part in elections scheduled for this fall, and loyalists in the elite Presidential Security Regiment responded by staging the coup last Thursday, arresting the interim president, Michel Kafando, and the prime minister, Lt. Col. Isaac Zida.
Under the compromise, the coup leaders would be given immunity from prosecution. Mr. Sall presented the compromise as the only way to prevent a worsening of the violence, which has killed around a dozen people and injured more than 100 others. After three days of tense negotiations, a regional team led by President Macky Sall of Senegal announced a compromise plan on Sunday that called for General Diendéré to stand down, Mr. Kafando to be returned to office and allies of Mr. Compaoré to be allowed to participate in the elections. Under the plan, the coup leaders would be given immunity from prosecution, and the election, originally scheduled for Oct. 11, would be held by Nov. 22.
However, General Diendéré did not attend the news conference where the compromise was announced and it was unclear if he would step aside. Mr. Sall presented the compromise as the only way to prevent a worsening of the violence, which has killed around a dozen people and injured more than 100 others, but it was not clear at first whether either side would accept it. General Diendéré did not attend the news conference where the compromise was announced, and pro-Compaoré protesters demonstrated against the deal in the capital on Monday.
On Monday afternoon, leaders of the nation’s armed forces threatened to march on Ouagadougou and remove General Diendéré and the Presidential Security Regiment, also known by the French acronym R.S.P., with force if necessary. But General Diendéré soon came under intense pressure to go along with it. President François Hollande of France, which has troops stationed in Burkina Faso and wields great influence there, called on the coup leaders “to immediately lay down arms and hand over power to the legitimate authorities or face the consequences,” including possible sanctions, according to Agence France-Presse.
Witnesses in Bobo-Dioulasso, the country’s second-largest city, said they had seen troops pass en route to the capital. In another city, Koudougou, military forces loyal to Mr. Kafando were welcomed by civilians who opposed the coup. And in the afternoon, leaders of the nation’s armed forces threatened to march on Ouagadougou and remove General Diendéré and disarm his unit, forcibly if necessary, if he did not accept the compromise.
“The national armed forces are converging on Ouagadougou to disarm the R.S.P. without bloodshed,” a statement attributed to top military commanders said. “We ask them to immediately lay down their arms and return to their barracks.” Witnesses in Bobo-Dioulasso, the country’s second-largest city, said they saw troops pass through on their way to Ouagadougou, and in another city, Koudougou, military forces loyal to the interim president, Mr. Kafando, were welcomed by civilians.
Gilles Thibault, the French ambassador to Burkina Faso, urged French citizens to stay in their homes. The country, previously called Upper Volta, was a French colony until it became independent in 1960. “The national armed forces are converging on Ouagadougou to disarm the R.S.P. without bloodshed,” a statement attributed to top military commanders said, referring to the coup regiment by its French abbreviation. Later, Brig. Gen. Pingrenoma Zagré, the military chief of staff, called on members of the regiment to lay down their arms, promising in a statement that they would not be harmed. He asked the general public to “stay calm and trust the nation’s armed forces, who reaffirm their unwavering commitment to preserve the unity of the nation.”
Gilles Thibault, the French ambassador to Burkina Faso, urged French citizens to stay in their homes. The country, previously called Upper Volta, was a French colony before independence in 1960.