By Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso–  Despite dissolving his government, hiring new military commanders and enforcing a curfew, Burkina Faso’s president Blaise Compaore has failed to put an end to the protests and riots that started last Thursday.  Police and students have joined the soldiers who began rioting Thursday night.  The growing discontent of many Burkinabe’s has merged and the violence has spread to other towns.  The protests began late Thursday night when soldiers, frustrated that their pay had been withheld, began shooting into the air in the military compound near Compaore’s presidential residence.  The soldiers then spread into the city, looting shops and stealing citizen’s cars.

After the government failed to reign in the soldiers, merchants in the capital of Ouagadougou retaliated on Saturday, setting fire to busses and the ruling party’s headquarters.  Since Saturday, the military rioting spread to the northern town of Kaya and the southern towns of Po and Tenkodogo.  Though the smaller towns have apparently calmed down since Monday night- when soldiers roamed through the streets firing in the air, looting businesses and firing on the homes of military commanders- merchants in the capital refused to open their stalls in the center market.  This is no surprise given the level of violence- one witness told Reuters, “They are moving through town and they continue to fire in the air. They are taking people’s motorbikes and cars and breaking up shops.”    Since Thursday, 45 people have been taken to the hospital with riot-related injuries.

Analysts are saying this could be the end of Compaore’s rule in Burkina Faso.  Compaore has been in power since 1987 when he took over through a coup.  Since then the government has enacted terms limits, but Compaore is exempt since he was in power before the current constitution took effect.  Opposition from the younger generation of soldiers coming in poses the most serious threat to Compaore’s power.  Said Ashley Elliot of Control Risks,

The loyalists that were with Compaore for the 1987 putsch still pull the strings, but the old guard is ageing and a gulf has opened up between them and the junior officers. . . .The negotiations between senior and junior officers that began this weekend are about conditions and pay, but between the lines they are about redressing a generational balance of power.

For more information, please see;

Aljazeera– Fresh Riots Reported in Burkina Faso– 18 April, 2011

Reuters– ANALYSIS- Burkina Faso Unrest Threatens Compaore Government– 18 April, 2011

Mail & Guardian– Burkina Faso Mutiny Spreads as Police, Students Riot– 18 April, 2011

BBC– Burkina Faso Mutiny Spreads to Fourth City– 18 April, 2011

By Daniel M. Austin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MISRATA, Libya – Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has shelled the city of Misrata with cluster bombs according to a report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW). Witnesses in Misrata claim several cluster bombs exploded in the city on April 14th and 15th. It remains unclear how many civilians or rebel fighters were killed in these attacks. The cluster bombs were use during a push by Gaddafi-led forces to retake Misrata from the rebels. Fighting between forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi and the opposition continues in both eastern and western Libya.

According to reports from Human Rights Watch and the British newspaper, The Guardian, on Thursday and Friday, witnesses in the city of Misrata saw at least four explosions believe to be from cluster bombs. The use of cluster bombs has been banned by most countries because of their potential to inflict damage over a large area. As noted by HRW, cluster bombs “explode in midair, indiscriminately throwing out dozens of high-explosive bomblets” and the submunitions then either explode upon impact or are detonated when an unsuspecting person steps on them or picks them up.

Making this scenario even more troubling is these cluster bombs are being used in an urban environment against both rebel forces trying to defend the city and civilians who have been unable to flee the violence. According to Steve Goose, HRW’s arms division director, the use of cluster bombs in a residential area poses “a huge risk to civilians.”

 HRW believes the cluster bomb munitions were manufactured in Spain before their use was condemned by the international community. Specifically, HRW believes the cluster bombs are “Spanish-produced MAT-120, 120mm mortar projectiles, which open in mid-air and release 21 submunitions over a wide area. Upon exploding on contact with an object, each submunition disintegrates into high-velocity fragments to attack people and releases a slug of molten metal that can penetrate armored vehicles.”

Moussa Ibrahim, a spokesman for the Libyan government has denied cluster bombs are being used in the fighting. He claims “We can never do this, morally, legally. We challenge them [HRW] to prove this. We know the international community is coming en masse to our country. We’re not using them.” It is important to note that Libya has not signed on to the Convention on Cluster Munitions which prohibits the use of cluster bombs and requires states that have stockpiled these munitions to destroy them.

Along with the cluster bombs, more than 100 government rockets have been fired into the city or Misrata as forces loyal to Col. Gaddafi are struggling to retake the city from rebel forces. According to rebels in Misrata, at least eight fighters have been killed as Gaddafi forces continue to push towards the center of the city.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch — Libya: Cluster Munitions Strike Misrata – 15 April 2011

Guardian — Libya: Gaddafi forces ‘using cluster bombs in Misrata’ – 15 April 2011

Mail Online– Gaddafi accused of using cluster bombs on civilians, fuelling calls for allied ground troops to move in – 15 April 2011

New York Times – Qaddafi Troops Fire Cluster Bombs Into Civilian Areas -15 April 2011

The Sydney Morning Herald — Libya denies using cluster bombs – 17 April 2011

By Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MBABANE, Swaziland– In the midst of pro-democracy uprisings, Swaziland’s King Mswati II and his administration are taking a strict stance against the protesters and adopting an isolationist policy.  Despite attempted intervention from several African groups and international organizations, Mswati’s officials maintain the problem is ‘outsiders’ and not the need for reform.  Said Mswati’s Foreign Affairs Minister Lutfo Dlamini, “We have been threatened as a nation by outsiders that there will be an uprising. . .We needed to guarantee the safety of all Swazis[.]”

This statement was made on Wednesday in what has proven to be a tumultuous week for the small, land-locked country.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, police fired upon crowds of thousands with tear gas and water cannons.  Police entered the crowd and started beating the protesters with batons, arresting many.  The protesters are calling for reform from the government, namely in the areas of civil service pay and political parties.  Mswati has banned political parties, effectively eliminating the possibility of a multi-party democratic system in Swaziland.  Additionally, civil servant pay has been cut drastically.  The protesters are demanding that political parties be made legal again and the pay cuts be reversed.

Swaziland’s government has maintained throughout the unrest that this is the result of foreign agitators coming into the country to promote violence and treason.  However, the police and security forces seem to be targeting Swazi’s in crackdowns on unions.  On Wednesday, a unions’ headquarters was raided by police where approximately 300 teachers were gathered for a rally.  The forces again used tear gas and water cannons to disperse everyone from the meeting.

These actions have prompted the African National Congress (ANC) to speak out.  ANC Deputy of International Relations, Ebrahim Ebrahim, said on Thursday,

We call on the government of Swaziland to work towards the normalisation of the political environment by unbanning opposition political parties, releasing political activists and engaging in a meaningful dialogue with opposition political and trade union leaders to find a collective solution to the socio-economic situation faced by that country. . .The use of security forces to quell any form of political dissent and failure to address legitimate concerns of citizens can only lead to the worsening of relations between government and civilians, something that does not augur well for economic stability.

This is a strong statement from the ANC, which until Thursday had remained silent, allowing its partner, the trade union group Cosatu to work with the pro-democracy protesters.  Some hope this will change the king’s view of South Africa and the ANC.  Cosatu’s deputy international secretary, Zanele Mathebula, said up until Thursday, the ANC’s silence has given Swaziland’s government a reason to blame Cosatu.  “[The Swazi government] cannot understand how South Africa can allow Cosatu to be so vocal. They blame us- as if we are forcing the Swazi people to revolt against the king.”

Underlying the unrest are the stark realities of economic inequality in Swaziland.  King Mswati is Africa’s last absolute monarch and after years of funneling the country’s profits into private royal accounts, Mswati has become the 15th richest monarch in the world, with an estimated personal fortune of $200 million.  However, a majority of Swazi’s live in poverty, subsisting on less than $1 a day.  Life expectancy in the country is 32 years, a statistic supported by the HIV infection rate of 33 percent, the highest in the world.  Almost half the country is unemployed and up to a quarter of Swazi’s rely on food aid and donations for their survival.  Many believe the protests are the natural consequence of this growing gap between the wealthy royalty and the impoverished Swazis.  Said Deprose Muchena, acting Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), “The Swazi government has shown its true colors to the world – it is repressive and authoritarian and only interested in its own survival.”

For more information, please see;

Mail & Guardian– Time For Change in Swaziland, ANC Says– 15 April, 2011

NYT– Police Fight Teachers as Unrest Begins to Mount– 13 April, 2011

Christian Science Monitor– In Swaziland, Heavy Crackdown Beats Back Egypt Inspired Protests– 14 April, 2011

By Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso– Burkina Faso’s president, Blaise Campaore, dissolved the government on Friday following an uprising by soldiers in the capital city of Ouagadougou and the presidential compound.  The soldiers, frustrated by the president’s refusal to pay them wages and promised bonuses, entered the compound on Thursday night, firing guns and rioting until the pre-dawn hours of Friday.  The uprising spread to the nearby barracks and then into the city.  Soldiers began speeding through the city streets in military vehicles and looting stores.  For several hours Thursday night, Campaore fled to his hometown approximately 30 km away, returning Friday.  In a radio address on Friday, Campaore announced he had fired his top military and personal guard commanders.  Part of the announcement read, “The secretary generals of ministerial departments will ensure the execution of current business.”

As the soldiers poured into the city they began stealing from shops in the capital, accosting merchants.  The soldiers also raided at least one radio station, injuring the staff and forcing it off the air.  One taxi driver reported being dragged from his car by soldiers who then drove away in his cab.  Many businesses, including gas stations and banks, have remained closed since the violence broke out Thursday night.  One witness, Pierre Tapsoba, who lives in a western neighborhood of Ouagadougou, said “I was going in the direction of the Lamizana [military] camp when I heard the gunfire. I saw people rushing back towards me, so I turned around and went back home. . . .I haven’t been out since. It’s bad.”  In an apparent effort to deter the soldiers, some shop owners set fire to busses.  As the looting continued Thursday, local merchants felt like the government had abandoned them.  Said one business association leader, Seydou Zangre, “We thought they [the government] were going to take measures for our security, but they did nothing.”

In addition to the dissolution, Campaore effected a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on Saturday and France, the former colonial ruler of Burkina Faso, warned travelers to avoid the country.  This latest clash follows months of turmoil in the country.  In February, students protested against the government after a student in military custody died.  During the protests, several buildings were set on fire and six students died.  On March 22, soldiers led an attack in response to several soldiers who were sentenced to prison terms for rape, freeing some soldiers from jail.

The country has also faced pressure from its neighbors, where unrest has driven up the prices of pantry staples in Burkina Faso.  The violence in Côte d’Ivoire has disrupted supply lines Burkina Faso in addition to Niger and Mali.  This means the prices of several processed foods, such as sugar, vegetable oil and dried milk, have risen dramatically in the land-locked country.  This prompted a march by tens of thousands of protesters in the capital last week against the increasing cost of living.

In the radio address Friday that dissolved the government, Campaore said, “The government reassures the people that steps are being taken right now to resolve this situation and expresses its regret and compassion for all those who have suffered harm.”  Despite these reassurances, many believe Campaore is losing power and that this may signal the end of his 23 year reign as president.  Addressing the resent uprising in Burkina Faso, David Zounmenou, a researcher focusing on conflict prevention at the South African based Institute for Security Studies, said, “It may be the end of Blaise Compaore’s rule. . .The youth are inspired by what is happening in North Africa and you add to this the unhappiness within the army. He might have to think about a transition.”

For more information, please see;

Bloomberg– Burkina Faso President Dissolves Government as Army Rampages– 16 April, 2011

Reuters Africa– Burkina Faso Traders Riot Over Army Looting– 16 April, 2011

The Independent– Soldiers Go on Rampage Over Pay in Burkina Faso– 16 April, 2011

Aljazeera– Burkina Faso’s President Dissolves Government– 15 April, 2011

BBC– Burkina Faso’s Blaise Campaore Sacks His Government– 15 April, 2011