Uncovering the blood gold crisis in Burkina Faso
NEVER in history has Julius Nyerere's 1961 speech, *The Second Scramble for Africa*, been more relevant than today in the context of Burkina Faso.
As Burkina Faso's military junta escalates its suppression of press freedoms, banning international media and imprisoning local journalists, the true scale of the humanitarian crisis and criminality emerges through the reporting of Al Jazeera and many other rights organisations.
Their investigations reveal one of the largest scrambles for minerals in Africa and a nation in collapse: mass atrocities against civilians, unchecked terrorist violence, blood diamonds and a humanitarian catastrophe deliberately obscured by Captain Traoré's propaganda machine.
Behind the façade of liberation and viral TikTok videos is a country and a region in a crisis. Earlier this month, Al Jazeera highlighted a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report revealing that Burkina Faso's military and allied militias massacred over 130 ethnic Fulani civilians near Solenzo in March 2025. Survivors described soldiers and pro-government militias shooting civilians 'like animals' while drones hovered overhead, indicating command-level coordination.
These findings, corroborated by witness testimonies and video evidence, expose a systematic campaign of ethnic violence masked as counterterrorism.
According to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI), since 2019, the Sahel region now accounts for 'over half of all terrorism-related deaths', positioning the country as the 'epicentre of global terrorism'. The report further cites Burkina Faso as the number one ranked on its index list, overtaking Afghanistan and Iraq.
To that end, since 2024, almost 2 000 people were killed in terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, accounting for nearly a quarter of all terrorist deaths globally. Terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso have also increased every year since 2014, with terrorism also surging in its neighbours, Mali and Niger.
In 2022, Burkina Faso endured its second coup in eight months, with Captain Ibrahim Traoré overthrowing his ally Paul Henri Damiba, who had himself seized power from democratically elected President Roch Kaboré. To understand the unending coups in Burkina Faso, ABC Australia turned to Al Jazeera's West Africa correspondent, Nicolas Haque, for answers. The pressing question was: 'Who's behind the spate of coups in West Africa?
Haque characterised the ousting of Kaboré as a coup in waiting, due to the instability of the country, years after Burkina Faso dictator Blaise Compaoré was ousted in 2014.
Haque also documents how a generation of men and boy children has been lost in the country as slums are filled with women and girl children. Burkina boys and men are either dead or conscripted into militias like the volunteers for the defence of the homeland (VDP) led by Traore. Secular education has also been banned to enforce extreme sharia law, where children are only taught the Quran, and in worst cases, girl children are denied an opportunity to go to school.
Such reportage by Nicolas Haque and his peers is a constant reminder of how a free press remains a cornerstone of democracies globally because if not for outlets such as Al Jazeera, the BBC and others, atrocities in terror and coup-prone Sahel region will remain unknown.
Reports also indicate that civilian deaths in Burkina Faso have doubled. It is quite evident that more voices need to be amplified to enforce the Kampala convention in Burkina Faso, where governance has been absent for decades.
Human rights organisations such as the Norwegian Refugee Council continue to expose how Burkina Faso is the world's worst and most neglected displacement crisis, with over 2 million people displaced and 6.3 million facing acute hunger.
Similarly, ECO financial agency, has reported how as children starve, the military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger spent a combined $2.4 billion (R43bn) on their armed forces in 2024. South Africa, which is the largest economy in Africa, dropped its defence spending for the fourth year in a row, falling 6.3% to $2.8 billion and instead focused on boosting economic growth and improving social services.
The Alliance of Sahel States which consists of military led governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger has diverted the limited national reserves of their countries to China and Russia giving this country's mineral concessions to fund militarisation of their countries.
The Russian Mercenary and Military Industrial Complex is the new coloniser in Africa.
Russia has tightened its grip in the Sahel Region using private military companies that thrive in undemocratic regimes and the militarisation of despondent Africans. Leaving millions of African children out of schools, healthcare systems crippled, and thousands of Burkinabe people on the brink of famine.
In May 2025, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres strongly condemned the attacks on civilians by the militia. These attacks are consistent and also include the abduction of women and girl children.
TikTok videos glorify Traore as a revolutionary who will save Africa, but civilians in towns such as Djibo are starving and eating leaves. Traore-backed regimes backed by the Russian Wagner Group and Africa Corps hide massacres such as the recent Solenzo massacre, where 100 Fulani civilians were slaughtered by this Traore-backed militia.
As expected, the value of Russia's gold reserves has surged by 72% since the beginning of 2022, while the country's Mercenary industrial complex has opened new markets for Russia's military-industrial complex.
This symbiotic relationship between Russia and Africa's military junta reveals a disturbing reality: Africa's instability is now a strategic asset for Russia. Russia is giving African countries more arms to buy rather than direct investments to build new infrastructure and invest in education and public amenities.
Russia's military diplomacy in Africa must be condemned no less than we condemn the West, as anyone who funds Africans to kill each other is not an ally but an enemy. Especially if the end game is to profit.
As reported by the United Nations Refugee Agency, over 1.6 million Sahelian children face malnutrition and are displaced. Russia's exploitation of Africa for extractive purposes must be condemned, and we must defend our hard-earned democracies throughout the continent.
The greatest crime by Russia's Wagner Group, Africa Corp, and Russian companies is not just stealing Africa's minerals or popularising Coups and dictators through social media, it is weaponising our anti-colonial struggle against the West to justify their resource plunder and arming one brother against.
As Africa Month comes to an end, let's take heed of the enduring words of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who said: 'What do you think is going to happen in the Second Scramble for Africa? In the second scramble for Africa, no imperialist power is going to fight another imperialist power for the control of Africa. This time, one imperialist power is going to arm one African nation, and another imperialist power is going to arm another African nation; and an African brother is going to slaughter another African brother, not in the interests of Africa, but in the interests of the imperialists, both old and new!
'I believe, therefore, that the poor countries of the world should be very careful not to allow themselves to be used as 'tools' of any of the rich countries. However much the rich countries may seek to fool them that they are on their side! And don't forget that the rich countries of the world today may be found on both sides of the division between 'Capitalist' and 'Socialist' countries.'
What is happening in Burkina Faso is therefore not a Revolution but grand-scale looting by the East through well-managed and well-funded Public Relations.
* Phapano Phasha is the chairperson of The Centre for Alternative Political and Economic Thought.
** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, IOL, or Independent Media.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
How social media influencers shape public opinion in South Africa
Lindokuhle Tonono Social media was supposed to be a place where everyone could finally have a voice. For years, we heard that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok would open up public conversation. No more gatekeepers in newsrooms deciding whose views mattered, and no more barriers for ordinary people to be heard. That dream was exciting. Imagine a digital square where the kid in Mthatha and the student in Bloemfontein could all debate big ideas as equals. A space where different experiences could meet without fear or favour. But if you spend any time online, you know it didn't really turn out that way. Instead of becoming a free marketplace of ideas, social media has evolved into a space where a small group of influencers and big accounts set the agenda. These are the people who decide which opinions are 'right,' which are 'dangerous,' and which deserve to be ridiculed. The irony is that many of these influencers built their brands on the idea of challenging old power structures. They spoke up when mainstream media ignored certain issues. They fought for visibility and that work mattered and still does, but somewhere along the way, the line between calling out injustice and policing all disagreement got blurred. Now, it sometimes feels like social media has simply replaced one set of gatekeepers with another. It happens repeatedly. A controversial issue breaks out, perhaps about a politically charged issue such as race, feminism, or the management of the economy, and within hours, the largest accounts with the most reach have declared which perspective is acceptable. Those who hold a different view quickly learn that it's safer to say nothing. This isn't just about social disapproval. On platforms that thrive on engagement, any post that doesn't fit the popular narrative risks being buried by the algorithm or swarmed by abusive replies. The cost of speaking up can be high; it can sometimes cost you your reputation, mental health, and even your job. Hence, most decide to remain quiet; however, this doesn't mean they agree. It means they've seen what happens to others who spoke out and decided it's not worth it. The German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann's Spiral of Silence Theory fundamentally posits that individuals have an instinctive fear of isolation. This fear compels them to monitor their environment, particularly the opinions voiced in public, to assess which views are dominant. When people perceive that their opinions are unpopular, they are more likely to remain silent, preferring the safety of conformity over the risk of ostracism. Over time, this process amplifies the dominance of one view, not necessarily because it is intrinsically correct, but because dissent is suppressed through social pressure, so it looks like everyone agrees even when they don't, and that's how a small group ends up controlling the conversation on social media. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Take a look at any trending topic on X or Facebook, and you'll see this dynamic in action. A few large accounts decide that a certain view is unacceptable. They post their verdict, sometimes in mocking tones or with hashtags demanding accountability, then their followers pile in to amplify the message. If you've ever watched someone get dogpiled, you know how nasty it can get. Strangers will flood their replies with insults, demands for apologies, or calls for punishment. Screenshots of the offending opinion will be shared in group chats and private forums, often stripped of any context. Sometimes the target did say something reckless or offensive, other times they simply voiced a perspective that wasn't popular with the influencers in charge and in the background, thousands of users read the exchange and quietly take note; this is the price of disagreeing. It's not surprising that most people choose self-censorship over open culture doesn't just happen by accident. It thrives because social media platforms are designed to reward outrage and conformity. Algorithms push the content that gets engagement, likes, shares, comments, even angry reactions. The more dramatic or polarising the post, the further it spreads. That's why influencers so often lean into profanity, invasion of privacy or any kind of sensationality. It's a guaranteed way to grow their reach, while it works for them, it damages the rest of us. Complex and multi-layered issues are reduced to black and white takes, nuance disappears, anyone who asks a genuine question gets treated like an enemy. It's also worth saying that this isn't only about opinions, it's about finance. On Facebook, monetisation tools have turned big pages into income streams. Influencers can earn real money from in-stream ads, stars, and subscriptions. The bigger your following, the bigger your payout and that creates an extra incentive to protect your turf. It's not surprising that many influencers act like gatekeepers, when you challenge their narrative, you're not just disagreeing, you're threatening their income. This new power dynamic is rarely acknowledged; most people still talk about social media as if it's a level playing field, but it's not. A handful of personalities effectively decide what's acceptable to say, and if you have a smaller audience, your opinions are easier to ignore or attack. Over time, this creates a closed ecosystem. If you want to grow your following, you're better off repeating whatever the big voices are saying. You learn to avoid certain topics and watch your words. While this might feel like a personal problem, just individuals adapting to the platform, it adds up to something bigger. A culture where real debate is replaced by a performance of agreement, and the saddest part is that it didn't have to be this way. Social media could still be a space where unpopular views get tested, challenged, and sometimes even changed. But instead, we've normalised a culture where punishment comes before understanding. If you're someone who has ever hesitated before posting, you already know what this feels like. The calculation happens in your head: 'Is it worth it?' and most of the time, the answer is no. It's tempting to think that silence means consensus, that if nobody is speaking up, it must be because everyone agrees, but that's rarely true. More often, it's a sign that people have weighed the risks and decided they'd rather say nothing than deal with the consequences. We should worry about what this does to freedom of speech and tolerance, when only influencers control the narrative, we miss out on opportunities to find common ground. This then results in the illusion of unity, an illusion that breaks down the moment we step offline and realise how much resentment and frustration have been building don't have to be a public relations professional to see why this is a problem. In PR, we learn that perception matters just as much as reality. If people feel like they can't speak, it doesn't matter how many times you tell them the platform is 'open to all.' The reality is that it's open only to those who agree with the prevailing sentiment. That perception is shaping the behaviour of millions of South Africans, and it's the reason people retreat into private groups and encrypted chats and stop engaging with public posts. It's the reason many of us feel like we're living in two worlds: the world of performative agreement online, and the world of honest disagreement offline. Next time you see someone speaking up, even if you don't agree ask yourself whether they really deserve to be humiliated or erased and the next time you feel that familiar fear in your gut before posting, remind yourself that your voice matters too because if we all keep quiet,he conversation is dominated by those who weaponise their influence and that's not the kind of public square any of us signed up for. Lindokuhle Tonono, is an Honours student in Integrated Organisational Communication at Unisa
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
‘We're all puppets': Q&A with Chester Missing
The Citizen asked Chester Missing to make sense of some of the world's most pressing questions. He's cheeky, he's funny, he's a heartbreaker and a ball-breaker. Chester Missing is a South African legend and so too is his boss Conrad Koch. Both will deny manipulation in either direction, always, but one is a puppet. Remember that. And the pair, along with some friends, are on tour with a brand new serving of satire, funnies and super-silly. The new show is called Puppet Power. Koch, via his brood of puppet cast, takes on the craziness of modern life where global crises are reduced to TikTok clips and shares, likes and whatever. Front and centre is Missing who, said Koch, was tired of being zipped up in a suitcase because, right now, humanity isn't. 'We're all puppets – in politics, work, even relationships,' Koch said. No topic is off-limits. Koch weaves in everything from Elon Musk's latest antics to FlySafair's life jackets and South Africa's beloved 'robots'. ALSO READ: Mpho Popps dragged for using late Presley Chweneyagae's memorial in comedy skit No holy cows in Chester Missing's show Missing is the mouthpiece of a show that's not just hilarious but chases the bottom line like an accountant would a spreadsheet. The Citizen asked the puppet to make sense of some of the world's most pressing questions. If you could send a message to world leaders the likes of the US, UK, Russia, Israel, Iran, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ukraine – what would it be? Everyone from Donald Trump to Cyril Ramaphosa to John Steenhuisen has a hand in their booboo controlling them. They are all puppets! They must start doing what is in the interests of their people, not of the billionaire hand in their booboo. How do you deal with the office suck-up who won't leave you alone? Leave the office vacuum cleaner by their desk with their name on it. Do it every day until they stop sucking. What if picking a job or boss worked like swiping on Tinder? My boss sticks his hand inside of me, so TBH, this is not that different from Tinder. Is marriage outdated, and are traditional gender roles really gone – or just hiding at the braai? I am a puppet who lives in a suitcase. I can't get married, but I was dating a Barbie doll for a short while. All I know is if you get married, you will also have to get used to having someone put words in your mouth. Conspiracy theorist David Icke says reptilians run the world. Thoughts? I think David Icke must stop being so rude about Helen Zille. She's just very abrasive, not an actual reptile. There's a small but important difference. Describe your perfect puppet first date. Miss Piggy, but she is way out of my league. What annoys puppets most about humans? That you haven't all realised that you are also puppets. You think social media influencers actually like the crap they try sell? Pffft. Ridiculous! Why should people come see the show? Because it's hilarious and fun, and utterly silly. And it includes me, Chester Missing, and I am amazing. We also have an actual DJ puppet who actually DJs. Besides, if you are going to be ruled by puppets, you might as well also laugh at them. Audiences can also expect fan favourites in the show like Hilton, the party-loving ostrich, DJ Hoodie, the puppet who actually DJs, and Mr Dixon, the over-it high school teacher. New recruits include Gordon Ratsy, a celebrity chef who happens to be a rat, and a talking dinosaur brought to life by an unsuspecting audience member. After its run at Montecasino's Pieter Toerien Theatre from 10-13 July, the tour heads across the country, with stops from Cape Town through to Gqeberha. NOW READ: 'A validation of the hard work I've put in': Khanyisile Ngwenya on her first Comics' Choice win
The South African
6 days ago
- The South African
NGO bans in Burkina Faso: Power move or sovereignty defence?
Burkina Faso's military government shut down four foreign non-governmental organisations' licences on 4 July 2025. Due to alleged data breaches, two foreign associations received three-month suspensions. Authorities only made the decrees public in early July 2025, despite issuing them in mid-June, according to AFP. Rather than enhancing civic regulation in the public eye, the enforcement appears to reflect the junta's broader efforts to suppress opposition and consolidate power over civil society. Under Captain Ibrahim Traoré's direction, the junta claims that the actions will restore national sovereignty. Authorities argue that foreign organisations undermine domestic efforts to combat terrorist insurgencies. In addition, armed groups linked to Niger and Mali continue to inflict violence on Burkina Faso. The government has removed diplomats accused of participating in subversive activities in recent months. Despite increased military operations and international assistance initiatives, security remains precarious. Burkina Faso has shut down several foreign media outlets due to their negative coverage. Furthermore, the government banned Voice of America and BBC/Africa from broadcasting after Human Rights Watch (HRW) published its report. The HRW published its report on the February 2024 massacres in April 2024, calling on the transitional government of Burkina Faso to look into the army's alleged execution of at least 223 civilians in Nondin and Soro, including 56 children. The obstruction of international media outlets that disseminated the study severely limited access to HRW's findings on the atrocities in Burkina Faso. The military government of Burkina Faso, headed by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has not taken any concrete steps to look into or address the killings, media censorship, or activist arrests as of July 2025. The junta tightened its controls over international organisations and civil society while intensifying its suppression of the opposition. Advocacy groups criticised the NGOs' closure as politically motivated and lacking legal transparency. NGOs are regularly suspended without formal legal proceedings or public hearings. International observers warn of the erosion of the rule of law and democratic values. Rising displacement rates and significant funding cuts have a significant impact on international humanitarian efforts. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
