Statement
As the 45th session of the Human Rights Council draws to a close, we implore the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and all Council members to direct their attention to the critical situation faced by the Fulani populations in Burkina Faso. These communities are caught in the escalating conflict surrounding counter-terrorism operations across the Sahel region.
Since 2016, the Fulani people of Burkina Faso have been subjected to egregious human rights violations, some of which may rise to the level of international crimes. The scale of massacres in various locales, characterized by their widespread, systematic, and massive nature, could even suggest ethnic cleansing.
These atrocities frequently manifest as extrajudicial executions of thousands of civilians, perpetrated either by state security forces assisted by state-backed self-defense groups, or by non-state armed organizations. Between January 2019 and May 2020 alone, hundreds of civilians were brutally killed in areas including Yirgou, Kain Ouro, Banh, Barga, Djibo, and Tawalbougou. Furthermore, thousands of other civilians, including children, endure inhumane conditions in prisons such as Kaya and Loumbila, following arbitrary arrests and secret detentions, often without access to magistrates or legal representation. A pervasive climate of discrimination and stigmatization has also taken root against these communities, exacerbating their vulnerability to food insecurity.
Despite numerous official reports and complaints lodged with the courts, the Burkinabé authorities have demonstrated a consistent failure to identify or hold accountable those responsible for these severe violations. We urge the Human Rights Council to recommend that the government of Burkina Faso implement all necessary security and judicial measures to establish a protective and just environment for this extremely vulnerable group.
