Over 40 Burkinabè journalists, representing both state-owned and private media outlets, have recently completed a military training program. The ruling junta describes this initiative as a “patriotic immersion,” an event now slated to occur annually.
In a nation grappling with an ongoing conflict against jihadist groups, a similar mandatory program was introduced last year for students admitted to the baccalaureate. However, this new requirement for media professionals raises significant concerns among press freedom advocates. Their apprehension is heightened by documented cases of Burkinabè journalists being forcibly conscripted into combat roles, alongside intense governmental pressure on the national press. The continued detention of Serge Oulon, two years after his abduction in Ouagadougou, serves as a stark reminder of this challenging environment.
Organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Security, the week-long training took place at the Pabré Police Academy, located approximately 20 kilometers outside Ouagadougou. National television footage captured the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, addressing the journalists. Dressed in military fatigues and holding a rifle, he posed the question: “Will you be patriotic and professional journalists?” The assembled journalists, standing at attention, responded in unison: “Affirmative!” The minister further elaborated, stating, “A professional journalist lacking patriotism poses a threat. A professional and patriotic journalist who remains uncommitted is akin to a passive observer in a period where the most significant chapters of their country’s history are being written.”
Lassina Traoré, the Director General of the Police Academy, explained that the training aims to “instill in journalists a deep understanding of the operational realities and core values that guide our defense and security forces every day.”
Despite the authorities’ characterization as a “patriotic immersion,” this development has deeply troubled defenders of press freedom. Sadibou Marong of the NGO Reporters sans frontières (RSF) conveyed his concerns, emphasizing, “Journalists are not military personnel and must not be transformed into instruments of the war effort, clad in military uniforms and bearing arms.”
In a nation grappling with an ongoing conflict against jihadist groups, a similar mandatory program was introduced last year for students admitted to the baccalaureate. However, this new requirement for media professionals raises significant concerns among press freedom advocates. Their apprehension is heightened by documented cases of Burkinabè journalists being forcibly conscripted into combat roles, alongside intense governmental pressure on the national press. The continued detention of Serge Oulon, two years after his abduction in Ouagadougou, serves as a stark reminder of this challenging environment.
Organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Security, the week-long training took place at the Pabré Police Academy, located approximately 20 kilometers outside Ouagadougou. National television footage captured the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, addressing the journalists. Dressed in military fatigues and holding a rifle, he posed the question: “Will you be patriotic and professional journalists?” The assembled journalists, standing at attention, responded in unison: “Affirmative!” The minister further elaborated, stating, “A professional journalist lacking patriotism poses a threat. A professional and patriotic journalist who remains uncommitted is akin to a passive observer in a period where the most significant chapters of their country’s history are being written.”
Lassina Traoré, the Director General of the Police Academy, explained that the training aims to “instill in journalists a deep understanding of the operational realities and core values that guide our defense and security forces every day.”
Despite the authorities’ characterization as a “patriotic immersion,” this development has deeply troubled defenders of press freedom. Sadibou Marong of the NGO Reporters sans frontières (RSF) conveyed his concerns, emphasizing, “Journalists are not military personnel and must not be transformed into instruments of the war effort, clad in military uniforms and bearing arms.”
