35 years ago today, the president of Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara, was assassinated in a French/US-backed coup. Sankara was transforming the poor, former French colony into a proud, developed and self-sufficient nation. 
Considered by many to be Africa's Che Guevara” Sankara said, “Imperialism is a system of exploitation that occurs not only in the brutal form of those who come with guns to conquer territory ... (but also) often occurs in more subtle forms, a loan, food aid, blackmail.”
In his 4 years as president, Sankara nationalized land & mineral mines, invested in public health, education, road development, improving food production, started a nation-wide literacy program & greatly improved women’s rights.
He cut-off predatory lending institutions like the IMF and World Bank & refused to pay foreign debt incurred by former corrupt leaders. He ended all foreign aid, which had made it impossible for the country to develop its own agricultural industry.
Sankara and 12 other people were ki!!ed in the coup, which was carried out by Blaise Compaore, Sankara’s colleague.
Compaore’s regime blocked any independent investigation into Sankara’s assassination and even issued a death certificate even claiming that Sankara's demise was due to "natural circumstances"
ibtimes.co.uk/thomas-sankara…
ibtimes.co.uk/thomas-sankara…
Journalist Silvestro Montanaro interviewed a number of people involved in the coup, who say they had the support of the French and Americans. pambazuka.org/pan-africanism…
Compaore's regime reversed all of Sankara's policies & remained in power for 27 years. The West backed him the whole time; Obama even invited him to the White House.
Compaore earlier this year was recently sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia
Compaore earlier this year was recently sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia
For more information I recommend reading these books:
This documentary is also worth watching:
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