Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) – Burkina Faso’s National Anti-corruption Network (REN-LAC) has called for the freezing of assets of officials of ousted President Blaise Compaoré regime and investigations into “blood crimes” during demonstrations that overthrew him after 27 years in power.
“The Anti-corruption Network demands investigations into all blood crimes committed during the bloody uprising … and calls on the new authorities to take all necessary steps to freeze assets stolen from the people by officials of the Compaoré regime,” according to a communiqué issued on Wednesday in Ouagadougou.
Compaoré was ousted on October 30, as Parliament was preparing to pass a bill that would enable him to stand for another term in elections next year. He has fled to Cote d’Ivoire.
In this West African country, where over 40% of the 17 million inhabitants are youths, poverty and corruption are among the highest on the continent.
“Under the Compaoré regime, everything seemed to say that corruption, pillaging of public resources and theft of mining resources had been decreed, even institutionalized,” said the members of the association.
“We insist on demanding that all dossiers of corruption and economic crimes are brought before courts, as well as the numerous other cases which have yet to be brought to light,” added the communiqué.
According to REN-LAC, the popular uprising expressed not only a thirst for change of those in government, but also the rejection of the system of governance based on corruption and impunity that had been denounced by populations and civil society activists for a long time.
To establish an atmosphere of transparency in the management of the country’s public affairs, it demanded that all stakeholders involved in the transition should publicly declare their assets before and after the transition.
Photo: Amanda Lucidon
