Mutinerie à Ouagadougou – 14 avril 2011

Burkina Faso capital erupts in protest

Associated Press

Friday 15 April 2011

Military guards shoot weapons into air, loot shops and steal cars in Ouagadougou in protest over unpaid allowances

Soldiers have shot into the air, stolen cars and looted shops in the western part of Burkina Faso‘s capital as protests by military guards against unpaid housing allowances spread, witnesses said.

The presidential compound in Ouagadougou was calm on Friday after gunfire erupted there overnight. President Blaise Compaoré was apparently not in the presidential compound at the time, a source there said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press.

Unrest that started from two presidential guard barracks spread to camp Lamizana in western Ouagadougou.

Scattered looting had begun overnight in the capital of one of the world’s poorest countries and soldiers looted and burned the homes of Compaoré aides.

A presidential security source, who spoke on condition on anonymity for security reasons, told the Associated Press that the soldiers were expressing their discontent after promises to pay their housing allowances were not kept.

Colonel Moussa Cissé, spokesman for the army, said that so far there were no casualties and negotiations were under way with the soldiers.

About two hours after the shooting began at 10pm on Thursday, gunfire was heard near the state radio station in Ouagadougou. Employees at the station said no one was hurt but some were hiding in the building. Read more ...