THOMAS SANKARA


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Histoire, Burkina Faso, Revolution, Thomas Sankara


Sankara & Burkina Faso : Chronology

1896
The Mossi kingdom of Ouagadougou becomes a French protectorate. Beginning of colonization.

1932 to 1947
The colonial territory of Upper Volta is cut into pieces and split between the Ivory Coast, Mali and Niger.

21 December 1949
Thomas Sankara is born in Yako, Upper Volta.

11 December 1958 
Creation of the Republic of Upper Volta, member of the French community. Its first president, Maurice Yaméogo, is elected in December 1959.

5 August 1960 
Proclamation of the independance of Upper Volta.

3 January 1966 
Opposed by the people because of his austerity policy, Maurice Yaméogo is overthrown and replaced by the military government of Colonel Lamizana.

1966 
Sankara enters the military school of Ouagadougou.

1972 
Completing his military training in Magadascar since two years, Sankara participates in the May Revolution that overthrows the neo-colonial regime of Tsiranana. The same year, he goes to Pau, France for a parachutist course.

1976
Sankara does a course at the Rabat, Morocco parachutists' school where he makes friends with Blaise Compaoré.

25 November 1980 
Following many strikes in Upper Volta, the Lamizana government is overthrown. Colonel Saye Zerbo takes the head of a military committee for national recovery and progress.

9 September 1981 
Sankara accepts the post of secretary of state for information under Saye Zerbo. He resigns one year later in protest against the open threats to freedom, and is transferred to a faraway garrison.

7 November 1982
Saye Zarbo is overthrown and replaced by a provisional Military Committee of Recovery for National Progress. Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo becomes president.

January – May 1983 
Sankara becomes prime minister. He is suddenly arrested on 17 May, the day

4 August 1983 
Blaise Compaoré marches on Ouagadougou, frees Sankara and overthrows Ouédraogo. The National Concil of the Revolution takes power and Sankara becomes president.

4 August 1984 
First anniversary of the revolution. Upper Volta becomes Burkina Faso, « the Land of the Upright Men ».

September – December 1984
22 September is proclaimed the day of solidarity with housewives in Ouagadougou. Men are invited to perform household chores that were the women's privilege until then. On 4 October, Sankara makes a speech before the United Nations General Assembly. From 5-9 November, Sankara visits China. On 25 November, he launches a vaccination campaign for Burkinabés under15 years old. On 31 December, rents for the year 1985 are suspended and he launches a house-building program.

1985 
Launching of a massive reafforestation campaign. A national conference for women is held from 1-8 March.

1986
Literacy campaign for national languages. In October, Sankara visits the Soviet Union. On 17 November, French president François Mitterand visits Ouagadougou.

1987 
The National Union of Burkina Farmers is created on 11 April. From 8-11 October an Anti-Apartheid Pan African conference is held in Ouagadougou.

15 October 1987 
Along with twelve of his colleagues, Sankara is executed by a military squad. Blaise Compaoré takes power and replaces the National Committee for the Revolution by a Popular Front. He starts a policy of « rectification of the Revolution ».

1991
Blaise Compaoré is elected president of the Republic in a democratic vote that is boycotted by the main opposition parties.

28 December 2005 
A main Ouagadougou avenue is renamed after Sankara.

15 October 2007 
On the twentieth anniversary of Sankara's death, his widow Mariam Serme who lives in exile, comes back for the first time to Burkina Faso and visits his presumed grave.

November 2010
Blaise Compaoré is elected for a fourth mandate of president of Faso.

31 October 2014
More mass protests against proposed constitutional changes to allow the president another five years in power turn into a mass uprising that drives President Compaore from office.




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THOMAS SANKARA & NEWS :

Justice for Sankara

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Burkinabe ex-President Compaore charged in Thomas Sankara murder
aljazeera.com, April 13 2021

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Thomas Sankara : Man of Integrity
afrika-news.com, Ynug Anabel, April 26, 2017
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Burkina Faso Begins Exhumation Of Thomas Sankara's Grave Nearly 30 Years After His Death
tbtimes.com, Aditya Tejas, May 26 2015
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Thomas Sankara remains: Burkina Faso begins exhumation
bbc.com, 25 May 2015

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"We want the truth!" Burkina Faso exhumes graves marked for ex-leader Sankara, his followers
usnews.com, BRAHIMA OUEDRAOGO, Associated Press May 25, 2015

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Burkina Faso opens graves to answer questions about Thomas Sankara
theguardian.com, Associated Press, 25 May 2015

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"Burkina Faso's revolutionary hero Thomas Sankara to be exhumed"
theguardian, 6 March 2015

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"Citizens' Revolt in Burkina Faso"
african-futures, Ernest Harsch, December 9, 2014

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"Burkina Faso profile"
BBC.com, 2 November 2014

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"Power struggle in Burkina Faso after Blaise Compaoré resigns as president"
The Guardian, David Smith, 1 November 2014

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Burying Africa's hopes: remembering Thomas Sankara, the revolution and how Blaise Compaoré stole it all
Joan Baxter, November 1, 2014

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"Burkina army imposes interim government after crowd burns parliament"
Reuters.com, Mathieu Bonkoungou & Joe Penney, 30 October 2014

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"Burkina Faso: A Thousand Sankaras Come of Age"
thinkafricapress.com, Brian Peterson, 15 August 2014

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"Thomas Sankara"
Britannica.com, Carina Ray, 12 December 2013

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"Thomas Sankara And The Assassination of Africa's Memory"
saharareporters.com, Chika Ezeanya, 15 October 2013

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"Who killed Thomas Sankara?"
africasacountry.com, Shamira Muhammad, 14 March 2013

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"25 Years On: The Mixed Legacy of Burkina Faso's Thomas Sankara, Socialist Soldier"
thinkafricapress.com, Peter Dörrie, 15 October 2012

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"Sankara's Tomb Vandalised In Burkina Faso Capital"
AFP, 29 July 2011

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