In Burkina Faso, over 40 journalists recently participated in a mandatory “patriotism” training course organized by the authoritarian ruling junta. This move comes amidst continuous deadly violence over the past decade by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Since Captain Ibrahim Traore’s rise to power through a coup in 2022, the military-influenced authorities have made it compulsory for both public and private media to undergo an annual “patriotic immersion.” Sadibou Marong, the sub-Saharan Africa bureau director at Reporters Without Borders, expressed deep concern about this development, describing it as a significant threat to press freedom. Marong highlighted that journalists should not serve as extensions of military efforts or be equipped with uniforms and weapons.
Since last year, high-school students in Burkina Faso taking their final exams have also been subjected to similar training. Traore’s government has promoted policies focused on domestic priorities and anti-Western sentiments, aiming to restore national sovereignty.
Several media organizations have faced suspensions, and various journalists who opposed the junta have reportedly been forcibly enlisted and sent to conflict zones. The security ministry orchestrated the journalists’ course at a police academy near Ouagadougou. Among the 44 participants were both men and women, and the training spanned six days.
A video circulated on social media by RTB public television captured Communication Minister Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo speaking to journalists clad in military attire and wielding rifles. “Will you be patriotic and professional journalists?” Ouedraogo asked, receiving a resounding “Affirmative” from the assembled group. Ouedraogo, who also acts as the government spokesperson, emphasized that a journalist lacking patriotism poses a risk to their nation.
