Dec 22, 2016 thomas sankara was considered africa s che guevara. Thomas sankara was considered africa s che guevara. Sankara s uniqueness rested in his incorruptibility, his shunning of. Africas che guevara thomas sankara was burkina fasos president from august 1983 until his assassination on october 15, 1987. A view of the future for africa and the third world by ameth lo. He had a vision for a true independent african country, and continent. Thomas sankara was burkina fasos president from august 1983 until his assassination on october 15, 1987.
Thomas sankaras politics and legacy in movements for social justice abstracts are invited for contributions to a forthcoming edited volume that aims to bring forward the different ways in which activists, theorists and writers in and beyond africa have engaged. After renaming his country to burkina faso, heres thomas sankaras accomplishments, only 4 years in power 198387. Viewed by supporters as a charismatic and iconic figure of revolution, he is commonly referred to as africa s che guevara. Thomas isidore sankara was a great visionary african leader, the kind which comes around once every 50 years or century.
Thomas isidore noel sankara 21 december 1949 15 october 1987 wis a burkinabe militar captain, marxist revolutionary, panafricanist theorist, an preses o burkina faso frae 1983 tae 1987. Thomas sankara president of burkina faso britannica. The life, politics and legacies of thomas sankara, murrey a. Burkithomas sankara na faso was the most recent attempt to find an independent path to national liberation without a revolu tionary war of the masses, without the leadership of a genuine proletar. Sankaras uniqueness rested in his incorruptibility, his shunning of. However, in africa as elsewhere, trade unions do not act in a political, social and. Surprisingly, the countercoup in october 1987 that led to his death was led by his friend blaise compaore who had now turned against sankaras ideas. He held that position until 1987, when he was killed during another coup.
Thomas sankara quotes author of thomas sankara speaks. Contents 6 9 21 building a new society, rid of social injustice and. Ideology and praxis in thomas sankaras populist revolution of 4 august 1983 in. I sense the rumble of their storm and feel the fury of their revolt. Thomas sankara on the emancipation of women, an internationalist whose ideas live on. Jun 04, 2015 harsch is a columbia university professor and formerly a journalist in africa during sankaras rule. However, as evidenced by the name of the currency still in circulation today in fifteen countries, the cfa franc symbolizes the economic subjugation of these countries to french imperialism. In the former upper volta known today as burkina faso, a group of men decided to launch a revolution that would enable the country to accept the responsibility of its reality and its destiny.
This booklet by thomas sankara, the leader of burkina fasos popular revolutionary government from 1983 to 1987, was published by pathfinder press in french and then english some three years ago. Pdf an analysis of thomas sankara a former president of. In the four years he led burkina faso before being assassinated on october 15, 1987, the revolutionary leader dared to invent the future with. Since its independence from france on 5 august 1960 to 15 october 1987, burkina faso, the land of the upright people, has experience five changes in government. Thomas isidore noel sankara 21 december 1949 15 october 1987 was a burkinabe military captain, marxist revolutionary, panafricanist theorist, and president of burkina faso from 1983 to 1987. Pdf a political biography of thomas sankara 19491987. Captain thomas sankara was the leader of the burkinabe revolution. The thomas sankara oath black first land first blf.
With thomas sankara died an experiment in radical reform that had raised the hopes of many in africa and even elsewhere. The documents my blog thomas sankara official website. See how thomas sankara set example for africa and world. Sankaras pragmatic and ambitious agenda for his country and africa, together with. Pdf on may 5, 2016, kelvin degbotse and others published an analysis of thomas sankara a former president of burkina faso as a leader find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Harsch is a columbia university professor and formerly a journalist in africa during sankara s rule. He spent his early years in gaoua, a town in the humid southwest to which.
He does so at the risk of debunking the sankara myth and igniting controversy. Sankara was inspired by cuba and fidel castro and launched a social and economic program in. This booklet by thomas sankara, the leader of burkina fasos popular. As the son of one of the few african functionaries then employed by the colonial. Thomas sankara and the assassination of africas memory. It was a historical speech, as only he, the great orator, could speak. Burkina faso and other african countries in recent years. As the head of the national committee of the revolution thomas sankara, the african che guevara, lived a very simple life that was admired by many. He believed change must be creative, nonconformist indeed containing a certain amount of madness.
Thomas sankara was born thomas isidore noel sankara on 21 december 1949 in yako, french upper volta as the third of ten children to joseph and marguerite sankara. He slashed the salaries of ministers and sold off the fleet of exotic cars in the presidents convoy, opting instead for the cheapest brand of car available in burkina faso, renault 5. Today sankara is not well known outside africa his character and ideas simply dont fit with the notion of africa which has been constructed in the west over the last 30 years. On october 4th, 1984, thomas sankara addressed the general assembly of the united nations. Facts about thomas sankara in burkina faso africa facts. Christopher wise, author of derrida, africa, and the middle east. Oct 29, 2016 thomas sankara, the che of africa, was one of those rare leaders whose blood was shed for the betterment of his people. Perhaps, more than any other african president in living memory, thomas sankara, in four years, transformed burkina faso from a poor country, dependent on aid, to an economically independent and. In upper volta, at that time, any commissioned or noncommissioned officer in any divisions of the national.
Of course he quickly denied any involvement in the assassination and by the evening of sankaras death he became the president. Waters talk sharpens the meaning of the legacy of thomas sankara in the 21st century and reminds us that democracy is not a classless content, said mwiza munthali, host of the radio show africa now, during his broadcast of the program, and that the guiding ideology of sankara. Thomas sankara, the che of africa, was one of those rare leaders whose blood was shed for the betterment of his people. Thomas sankara 19491987 is one of the most famous political figures in contemporary african history.
The speech he would have given on october 15, 1987. Sankara was inspired by cuba and fidel castro and launched a social and economic program in burkina faso that improved healthcare, education and. Haren gobernupean, 1960an, volta garaia izen koloniala utzi eta burkina faso izena hartu zuen. It also happens to be the firstever english language biography of the man. The approximate timing of his appearance in the country coincided with the assassination of president thomas sankara, the charismatic revolutionary leader of burkina faso, on 15 october 1987. Here is the complete text of a handwritten speech that revolutionary burkinabe president and african statesman thomas sankara was set to deliver on the evening of the day he was assassinated, october 15, 1987. Ideology and praxis in thomas sankaras populist revolution of 4. An african revolutionary, is an engaging and approachable portrait of this historical figure. On the evening of 4 august 1983, revolution reached the upper volta in the form of a military council headed by captain thomas isidore noel sankara and three young junior officers in the parachute division of the national military. I the undersigned, hereby voluntarily, without any personal or business interest, have chosen out of my free will and without prejudice to serve the public as an elected representative of the people an employee in the public sector. Thomas sankara was one of the leading ideologues of the 1980s west africa, when military regimes were the order of the day, and when the youth sought relevance in the midst of forced neocolonial. Oct 02, 2015 on october 4th, 1984, thomas sankara addressed the general assembly of the united nations. Thomas sankara, often called the african che guevara, was president of burkina faso, one of the poorest countries in africa, until his assassination during the military coup that brought down his government. Viewed by supporters as a charismatic and iconic figure of revolution, he is commonly referred to as africas che guevara.
Biography of former burkina fasos president, thomas sankara. Oct 14, 2012 thomas sankara had great belief in people not just the people of burkina faso or africa, but people across the world. It has been thirty years since thomas sankara took power, before he was assassinated in 1987. Oct 18, 2015 thomas sankara, the african che i discovered thomas sankara this week when his name popped up on my twitter feed on the anniversary of his death. Ghanaian authorities eventually jailed taylor twice for his increasingly subversive activities. On french interventions in african affairs in general, see martin, guy, the. Lun deux orient le livre remporter le titre thomas sankara. Oct 15, 20 thomas sankara was burkina fasos president from august 1983 until his assassination on october 15, 1987. Thomas sankara began by purging the deeply entrenched bureaucratic and institutional corruption in burkina faso. His father, joseph sankara, a gendarme, was of mixed mossifulani silmimoaga heritage while his mother, marguerite kinda, was of direct mossi descent. Mediated sankarism african studies quarterly university of florida.
May my eyes never see and my feet never take me to a society where half the people are held in silence. The life and death of thomas sankara philosophy of shaving. Comrades, there is no true social revolution without the liberation of women. He who feeds you, controls you and debt is the cleverly managed reconquest of africa he argued and he was right. Perhaps, more than any other african president in living memory, thomas sankara, in four years, transformed burkina faso from a poor country. Volta garaia zeritzonak independentzia formala eskuratu bai, baina oraindik metropoliaren eraginpean segitzen zuen. The sankarist revolution was one of the greatest attempts at popular democratic emancipation in postindependence africa and is considered a novel experience of broad economic, social, cultural and political transformation. Thomas sankara, military officer and proponent of panafricanism who was installed as president of upper volta later burkina faso in 1983 after a military coup. Born december 21, 1949, at yako, upper volta now burkina faso, sankara was a military officer and panafricanist who became the president of the upper volta and ruled from august 4, 1983, after a military coup organized by blaise compaore, to 1987. An african revolutionary will serve as an excellent introduction to sankara and the revolution in burkina faso and explain why sankara continues to be so widely admired throughout africa and beyond. He had an unlimited and undying love for his country, his fellow countrymen, and his continent. As mandela is to south africa, so also is thomas to burkina faso. Full text views reflects the number of pdf downloads, pdfs sent to. Although his tenure in office was relatively short, sankara left an indelible mark on his countrys history and development.
It would be difficult to find a less corrupt, selfserving leader than thomas sankara anywhere in the world. Thomas sankara born on december 21, 1949, in upper volta, formerly burkina faso. Sep 01, 2009 thomas isidore sankara was a great visionary african leader, the kind which comes around once every 50 years or century. Thomas isidore noel sankara was a burkinabe revolutionary and president of burkina faso. Rene utayek, le changment politique et constitutionnel en hautevolta. Giga german institute of global and area studies, institute of african affairs in cooperation. Thomas sankara was a glamorous and charismatic fig. Thomas sankara was greatly inspired by the cuban revolution. A must read biography of thomas sankara president of. Perhaps, more than any other african president in living memory, thomas sankara, in four years, transformed burkina faso from a poor country, dependent on aid, to an economically independent and socially progressive nation. Giga german institute of global and area studies, institute of african affairs in co operation.