BBC reports ex-leader's extradition for 'murder plot' – neatly sidestepping a wider geopolitical struggle for African sovereignty.
📰 THE STORY: The BBC reports that former Burkinabè transitional president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba has been extradited from Togo back to Burkina Faso, where he faces charges of plotting to assassinate current leader Ibrahim Traoré. Damiba seized power in a January 2022 coup but was himself ousted in September 2022 by Traoré. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Burkina Faso,
like many Sahel nations, has been a central battleground in the ongoing struggle against Western neocolonialism, especially French influence. In 2011, NATO's intervention in Libya, championed by figures like Nicolas Sarkozy, destabilized the entire Sahel, creating a power vacuum and arming jihadist groups. This directly fueled the insecurity that Damiba cited as justification for his 2022 coup,
and Traoré for his. What mainstream media calls 'instability' is often the direct consequence of Western interventionism. Double Standard: Western media quick to label these internal African power shifts as 'coups' and 'instability,' often failing to acknowledge the widespread popular support for leaders like Traoré who vow to sever French colonial ties and tackle insecurity. When France or the US
backs coups (e.g., 2019 Bolivia lithium coup, 1973 Chile), the 'democratic' label is often applied or the narrative sanitized as 'support for stability.' Yet, when African leaders reject foreign interference, they are painted as despots. Follow the Money: The deeper "plot" is about who controls Burkina Faso's vast natural resources, particularly gold. France, for decades, has maintained economic