by
Uhuru News | 10.12.2007
Demonstration at Burkina Faso embassy in Washington DC
commemorates assassination of Thomas Sankara
What: Demonstration commemorating assassination of Thomas Sankara
When: Monday, October 15, 10:00am-12:00pm
Where: Embassy of Burkina Faso, 2340 Massachusetts Ave, NW; Washington,
DC
Contact: Uhuru News, info@uhurunews.com
The International Committee of African Martyrs will hold a
demonstration at the Burkina Faso embassy in Washington, D.C. on
October 15, 2007 from 10:00am- 12:00pm in commemoration of the 20th
anniversary of the assassination of Thomas Sankara, the short-lived
president of the African country that became known as Burkina Faso, the
land of upright people.
Sankara s assassination was a concerted effort of the surrounding
neocolonial states, particularly Ivory Coast, Mali and the
authoritative command of their imperialist masters who saw him as a
threat to their easy access and control of the resources of Burkina
Faso and Africa in general.
Within the four short years of Sankara s presidency, the Burkinab?
people struggled to shake off their neocolonial fetters and created
local initiatives for cultural, political and economic advancement. A
true revolutionary process was set in motion as the masses began to
discover their potential to solve problems through their own work and
personal sacrifices.
The Blaise Compaor? regime succeeded in overturning the revolution and
continues to survive after 20 years without any meaningful resistance
in defense of the revolutionary achievements made under Sankara s
leadership.
Compaor? s survival has rested on two major factors: the incomplete
development of the revolutionary forces within Burkina and their
isolation from other revolutionary forces within the continent.
Secondly, the concerted efforts of its reactionary neighbors the
governments of Mali and Ivory Coast and the imperialist onslaught from
France weighed heavily on the Burkinab? revolutionaries ability to
fight back.
Notwithstanding the internal contradictions in Burkina, the undeclared
war against Sankara by Ivory Coast president F?lix Houphou?t-Boigny and
Togo president ?tienne Eyad?ma, the instigated five-day war in December
1985 between Mali and Burkina and the vacillating pseudo-revolutionary
rhetoric from president Jerry Rawlings in Ghana, the Burkinab?
revolution mustered enough courage to jolt imperialism, particularly
French imperialism from its comfortable position in Africa.
This year s commemoration of Thomas Sankara will be about completing
the revolution.
In one interview, Sankara was asked what were the greatest problems and
difficulties facing the revolution. He answered in this order: the
bourgeoisie, the petty bourgeoisie and the biggest bein g imperialism.
He went on to say, As a revolutionary I understood what imperialism is
in theoretical terms. But once in power I discovered other aspects of
imperialism that I had not known. I think there are still other aspects
to discover.
There is quite a difference between theory and practice. I have seen
in practice that imperialism is a monster with claws, horns and fangs
that bite that has venom and is merciless. No. It s determined.
Imperialism has no conscience. It has no heart.
Fortunately, the more that we have discovered how dangerous an enemy
imperialism is, the more determined we have become to fight and beat
it. And each time we find fresh forces ready to stand up to it.
The exemplary character of such martyrs as Sankara led to the founding
of the International Committee of African Martyrs (ICAM), a mass
organization charged with the task of upholding the legacy of African
mart yrs. It is also from this line of thought that fresh forces such
as the Africanist Movement in West Africa are emerging from every
corner of the African world to challenge imperialism.
For more information contact Uhuru News, info@uhurunews.com or visit
www.uhurunews.com.
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