Burkina Faso declares state of emergency

 

Burkina Faso's president has declared a state of emergency, after tens of thousands of people took the streets, setting parliament ablaze in violence that left at least one person dead.

 



Army General Honore Traore, the joint chief of staff, also said that the government and parliament had been dissolved on Thursday Oct 30,2014

Some of the protesters, who are opposed to constitutional amendments that would allow President Blaise Compaore to stay in power for another term, ransacked state television and tried to storm other state buildings.

"A state of emergency is declared across the national territory. The chief of the armed forces is in charge of implementing this decision which enters into effect today," said a statement from the president

The president also said he would open talks with the opposition.

"I dissolve the government from today so as to create conditions for change," the statement said. "I'm calling on the leaders of the political opposition to put an end to the protests. I'm pledging from today to open talks with all the actors to end the crisis."

Politicians had been due to vote on Thursday Oct 30,2014 on a government plan to change the constitution to allow Compaore - who took power in a coup in 1987 - to stand for re-election again next year, when he was due to stand down.
The government, facing its worst crisis since a wave of mutinies shook the country in 2011, later announced it was calling off the vote but it was not immediately clear if this was a temporary move.

The head of Burkina Faso's armed forces took power on Friday Oct 31,2014 after President Blaise Compaore resigned amid mass demonstrations against an attempt to extend his 27-year rule that military chief General Honore Traore had taken over the reins of power.

Burkina Faso's military chief General Honore Traore speaks at a news conference announcing his takeover of power

 

Blaise Compaore, who seized power in a 1987 coup, had attempted to defy popular pressure for him to step down after a day of violent protests on Thursday in which demonstrators stormed parliament and state television.

However, with hundreds of thousands of protesters packing the streets of the capital Ouagadougou for a second day today and no sign of international support for him staying on, Compaore announced his resignation. 

A crowd gathers in front of army headquarters in Ouagadougou, demanding that the army take over following the resignation