https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230731/ibrahim-traore-justifies-right-to-suspend-french-media-1060939704.html
Ibrahim Traore Justifies 'Right' to Suspend French Media
Ibrahim Traore Justifies 'Right' to Suspend French Media
Sputnik Africa
Burkina Faso has the full right to oust any media outlet that "dreams things up" and tries to manipulate public opinion, Transitional President Ibrahim Traore... 31.07.2023, Sputnik Africa
2023-07-31T11:00+0200
2023-07-31T11:00+0200
2023-08-01T09:45+0200
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In an exclusive interview with Sputnik Africa, Burkinabe President of the Transition Ibrahim Traore justified the decision of his country’s authorities to oust several French press outlets.Indeed, following the case of Radio France internationale (RFI), which was suspended in December 2022, the authorities of Burkina Faso did the same with France 24 in March 2023. The French news channel LCI has no longer been accessible in Burkina Faso for a period of three months since the end of June. In addition, two correspondents for the French dailies, Liberation and Le Monde, were expelled this spring.According to Ibrahim Traore, "there are two weights, two measures almost everywhere".'Leave Us, We Will Fight Like Burkinabes'In March, Burkina Faso denounced a military assistance agreement signed in 1961 with France.Earlier, Ouagadougou had secured the withdrawal of the French "Sabre" force from its soil. For Mr. Traore, this agreement "is no longer relevant". The Burkinabe leader also touched upon Operation Barkhane, led by France in the Sahel between 2014 and 2022. Commenting on its departure, he recalled that his country had wished "that they go back home to defend the motherland".Captain Traore also added that his country "has not seen a particular contribution of force".
https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230521/frances-africa-policy-not-great-success-nigers-president-mohamed-bazoum-admits-1059391515.html
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operation barkhane, west, media, france, burkina faso, president, ibrahim traore, africa in details
operation barkhane, west, media, france, burkina faso, president, ibrahim traore, africa in details
Ibrahim Traore Justifies 'Right' to Suspend French Media
11:00 31.07.2023 (Updated: 09:45 01.08.2023) Exclusive
Burkina Faso has the full right to oust any media outlet that "dreams things up" and tries to manipulate public opinion, Transitional President Ibrahim Traore told Sputnik Africa. Several French media have indeed been suspended since December 2022 throughout the country.
In an exclusive interview with Sputnik Africa, Burkinabe President of the Transition Ibrahim Traore justified the decision of his country’s authorities to oust several French press outlets.
"We are at war, and we will not tolerate the media coming to try to intoxicate our populations and try to manipulate them, to make subversive propaganda,” he thundered at the end of the Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg.
Indeed, following the case of Radio France internationale (RFI), which was suspended in December 2022, the authorities of Burkina Faso did the same with France 24 in March 2023.
The French news
channel LCI has no longer been accessible in Burkina Faso for a period of three months since the end of June.
In addition, two correspondents for the French dailies, Liberation and Le Monde, were expelled this spring.
"We are not going to accept it, and we are entitled to suspend [them]. Even if tomorrow other media speak to them, we are going to suspend them, because they have an objective that is contrary to what we have as reality. And they don't go out on the ground, sometimes they dream things up. If you have followed why certain media were suspended, it is actually deplorable: media that seek to confront the people, to stir up war, well, we are not going to get along with them. So that's why we removed them," he elaborated.
According to Ibrahim Traore, "there are two weights, two measures almost everywhere".
'Leave Us, We Will Fight Like Burkinabes'
In March, Burkina Faso denounced a military assistance agreement signed in 1961 with France.
Earlier, Ouagadougou had secured the withdrawal of the French "Sabre" force from its soil.
For Mr. Traore, this agreement "is no longer relevant".
"It's still quite old […], and it's still colonization.We have to manage to move forward on our own," he stressed.
The Burkinabe leader also touched upon Operation Barkhane, led by France in the Sahel between 2014 and 2022.
Commenting on its departure, he recalled that his country
had wished "that they go back home to defend the motherland".
"We told the French that we do not want French soldiers to come and die on our soil. Leave us, we will fight like Burkinabes," he emphasized.
Captain Traore also added that his country "has not seen a particular contribution of force".
"It's when they were moving, some were able to uncover all the arsenal that there was in terms of armor, in terms of combat helicopters, in terms of intelligence assets and everything. We can't have all that. And then the terrorists walk around and do whatever they want. In any case, today, we manage to identify terrorist columns and strike them. So we also have the means capable of doing it. So it was not necessary. They had to leave, that's all," he further pointed out.
