The Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States have expressed gravely concern by reports of massacres of civilians in Burkina Faso by Burkinabe military forces in late February.
In a joint statement released by the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America on Monday while called on the Transition Authorities to thoroughly investigate these massacres and hold those responsible to account.
A recent Human Rights Watch report details first-hand accounts of the execution of at least 223 civilians, including 56 children, in the villages of Nondin and Soro in Burkina Faso’s Yatenga province.
Both countries offered deepest condolences to the loved ones of all victims of violence perpetrated in Burkina Faso in recent months, including Christians and Muslims murdered by terrorist groups in their places of worship, and members of the armed forces who have been killed.
“We call on all actors in Burkina Faso to respect human rights and adhere to international humanitarian law as applicable. The only long-term solution to the scourge of terrorism is expanding good governance based on the rule of law, respect for human rights, and promotion of social cohesion”.
The United States and the United Kingdom strongly opposed the suspensions of media outlets, including VOA and the BBC, the blocking of Human Rights Watch’s website, and restrictions placed on all media from reporting on their articles.
Saying, “This decision coincides with World Press Freedom Day on May 3, which reminds us that societies are strengthened, not threatened, by well-informed publics and expressions of opinion.
“Free and independent media must be permitted to conduct investigations and good-faith reporting without fear of reprisals. We strongly urge Burkina Faso’s Superior Council of Communication to reconsider its suspensions of media outlets” these countries said.
Burkina Faso’s military forces “summarily executed” 223 civilians, including at least 56 children, in two villages in February, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said in a new report.
The mass killings took place on February 25 in the northern villages of Nondin and Soro, according to the report published on Thursday.
The international rights group said the massacre appeared to be part of a widespread military campaign against civilians accused of collaborating with armed groups.
Soldiers killed at least 44 people, including 20 children, in Nondin, and 179 people, including 36 children, in nearby Soro.
HRW said it interviewed dozens of witnesses between February and March and analysed videos and photographs shared by survivors. It also reportedly obtained lists of the victims’ names compiled by survivors, and geolocated eight mass graves based on satellite imagery from March 15.
On February 24 and 25, armed groups carried out attacks across the country on military targets, including barracks and bases, and on civilian infrastructure, such as religious sites, killing scores of civilians, soldiers and militia members.
While the Burkinabe Defence Minister, Mahamoudou Sana who denounced what he described as “simultaneous, coordinated” attacks, he did not mention the mass killings of civilians in Nondin and Soro. Civilians have been caught in the middle of and displaced by the fighting between armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), and security forces.
Burkina Faso’s media regulator has expanded its crackdown on international media outlets following their coverage of a report implicating the Burkinabè army in civilian killings.
While the Deutsche Welle (DW), TV-Cinq, Le Monde, and The Guardian was suspended, adding to the recent bans on the BBC and Voice of America.