The Burkina Faso government must ensure human rights are respected in the country by facilitating the safe return of missing activist Daouda Diallo.
Development Diaries reports that Diallo, who is the Secretary-General of the Collective Against Impunity and Community Stigmatisation (CISC), was abducted by security agents on 01 December, 2023, as he left the passport office in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital.
It is understood that a few days later, he was shown in the back of an army truck wearing a military uniform in an image shared on social media. However, the government has not officially acknowledged his detention nor his whereabouts.
It has now been more than 50 days since he forcibly disappeared, according to findings by Amnesty International.
Burkina Faso, like many other African countries, has faced its share of socio-political challenges, but such an incident underscores the vulnerabilities that activists and individuals advocating for change may encounter.
Findings by Amnesty International reveal that Diallo is just one of more than a dozen prominent activists and journalists critical of the Burkina Faso transitional government to have been conscripted recently under an April 2023 decree ‘on general mobilisation and safeguarding’ that allows the call up for military service for most Burkinabè adults.
It is unclear how the conscription process works, how many people are drafted, and how to challenge them. Also, the majority of cases that are known to exist include activists and human rights advocates who have criticised governmental actions.
This development sends a chilling message to those who dare to speak out against corruption, human rights abuses, or other societal issues.
Additionally, this serves as a critical moment for Burkina Faso to reaffirm its dedication to democratic principles and the protection of those who strive for positive change within its borders.
The government must be reminded of its obligation under the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED), which it ratified in December 2009.
Development Diaries calls on the government of Burkina Faso to facilitate the safe return of Diallo to civilian life and end the use of conscription as a tool to silence dissent.
Photo source: AP
