25th anniversary of the assassination of Thomas Sankara
by Citizen Debt Audit
Today, October 15, marks the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Thomas Sankara, who was president of Burkina Faso between 1983 and 1987. Sankara, a soldier, arrived to power through a coup, but unlike other presidents who came to power by the same means, he always prioritised the welfare of the people of Burkina Faso. He nationalized land and distributed it among the peasants, nationalized minerans, launched immunization and literacy campaigns, banned ablation and defended by all means equal rights for women ... and confronted the dictatorship of debt.
In July 1987, he made a speech to other African leaders in the framework of the African Union Conference in which he called for repudiation of debt, he called for the right to say NO to imposed, unjust and illegitimate debts. A few months later he was assassinated.
Today, 25 years later, his speech is still valid, more than ever, not only for the people of Africa, but also in Europe, Asia or Latin America.
Today we are launching a campaign on Twitter and other social networks to reclaim the figure of Thomas Sankara and the right of peoples to say NO to debt. Here are a few links to spread today, beginning at 11 am, on social networks. On Twitter you can follow the campaign with the hashtag #TThomasSankara
VIDEOS:
Debt discourse at the African Union
Burkina Faso President Thomas Sankara's 'Against debt' speech 1987 Part 1 (English subtitles)
Burkina Faso President Thomas Sankara's 'Against debt' speech 1987 Part 2 (English subtitles)
ARTICLES:
- Thomas Sankara, an African leader with a message for Europe http://www.redpepper.org.uk/thomas-sankara-an-african-leader-with-a-message-for-europe/
- 25 years ago, someone named Sankara http://blogs.elpais.com/africa-no-es-un-pais/2012/10/hace-25-a%C3%B1os-un-tal-thomas-sankara.html (in spanish)
- Calling an international mobilization against government debt to pay tribute to Thomas Sankara http://cadtm.org/Llamada-a-una-movilizacion (s) http://cadtm.org/Appel-a-une-mobilisation (fr ) http://cadtm.org/Call-for-an-international (eng)
- On the figure of Sankara and http://thomassankara.net/
Today, more than ever, we are all Thomas Sankara!
Citizen Debt Audit
Platform / Plataforma Auditoria Ciudadana de la Deuda ¡No Debemos! ¡No Pagamos!
@AuditCiudadana