Burkina Faso announces creation of local committees for dialogue with jihadists

Burkina Faso's government announced Tuesday the creation of local committees to boost dialogue with jihadists who have been carrying out recurrent attacks in the African country since 2015. "These are endogenous initiatives that encourage the return of young Burkinabe who joined armed terrorist groups and now wish to lay down their arms," the Minister of State in charge of social cohesion and reconciliation, Yéro Boly, explained at a press conference. 

"These initiatives bring hope for the return of peace in the affected areas through inter- and intra-community reconciliation," he added. According to Boly, local committees are already in place in some of the localities most affected by jihadism in the north of the country. 

"They are young armed fighters who have asked for dialogue with traditional chiefs and religious leaders in their localities," Boly explained in statements reported by the local media "Le Faso". Boly pointed out that these local committees are supported by the government, "but it is not the government that is engaged in dialogue". 

"It is not a negotiation between the government of Burkina Faso and armed terrorist groups," the minister clarified. 

In order to consolidate the achievements of these dialogues, the Burkinabe government has decided to create the National Coordination of Local Dialogue Tables for the Restoration of Peace, which will be headed by a national coordinator "chosen on the basis of his or her experience and proven professional qualities". 

According to Boly, jihadists who agree to lay down their arms will benefit from state support for their social reintegration, will be offered professional activities in livestock farming or agriculture, and will be able to choose to stay in their home towns or change their residence. 

Last week, Burkina Faso's coup leader and transitional president, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, said in a meeting with the local press that they were willing to talk to Burkinabe terrorists who wish to lay down their arms in order to achieve peace, and explained that the dialogue would be aimed at their disarmament and reintegration. 

"If killing could bring peace to Burkina Faso, the problem of terrorism would have been solved a long time ago," he argued, acknowledging that the figures made public of jihadists neutralised "are far below the reality". According to the latest monthly information bulletin on security operations on the national territory, more than a hundred jihadists were neutralised by the Burkinabe army between 15 March and 15 April. 

Burkina Faso has suffered repeated jihadist attacks since April 2015, carried out by groups linked to both Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. Burkina Faso's most insecure region is the Sahel (north), which shares a border with Mali and Niger, although jihadism has also spread to other neighbouring areas and, since 2018, to the east of the country. 

In November 2021, an attack on a Gendarmerie post caused 53 deaths (49 gendarmes and 4 civilians), which generated great social unrest that led to strong protests demanding the resignation of the Burkinabe president, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. 

A few months later, on 24 January, the military seized power in a coup d'état (the fourth in the West African region since August 2020) and deposed the president. 

The insecurity has caused the number of internally displaced people in Burkina Faso to rise to 1.7 million, according to government figures.