Recently, Serge Daniel, correspondent for RFI in Mali, made this public: Burkina is home to a clandestine airstrip on its soil. The information, we remember, had made the buzz on social networks. The Burkinabè legitimately ask themselves questions about the supposed or real existence of this mysterious airstrip. The question was discussed during the weekly Council of Ministers on July 20. At the end of this Council, the minister spokesperson for the government hosted a press conference on the subject. Extract from the words of Lionel Bilgo, since it is about him: “When we received this information, we transmitted it to the National Theater Operations Command (COTN). We had received data well before the publication of the said information…” Still according to Minister Bilgo, investigations are underway to verify the veracity or otherwise of the information. The Minister ended on the subject by promising additional information related to it during a press briefing or an information bulletin. The government is in its role to react to such information and to promise the opening of an investigation to find out the ins and outs. And the Burkinabè are chomping at the bit to find out what exactly is going on. But already, we can take the risk of saying that the information is plausible with regard to what follows. First, 40% of the national territory, or even more, is practically controlled by terrorists. This truth has even been admitted by the government.
This gives the opportunity to challenge the authorities on the urgent need to provide the country with effective surveillance devices.
From this point of view, an airstrip can be built in this zone under terrorist control, without the government realizing it. Secondly, a lot of very important and proven information on Burkina was first provided by colleagues from other countries, before the government deigned to say a word. This was the case recently with the arrival in Ouagadougou of the great exile from Abidjan, Blaise Compaoré, as part of the national reconciliation process. And it was the same Serge Daniel who revealed the information. We can say that this colleague is well introduced, especially in informed circles, on security issues in the Sahel. The third and last element that can be invoked to support the plausible nature of the information is linked to the fact that the government, generally, is not quick to bring to the attention of the public information whose decryption criticism could highlight the flaws in its security governance. And the existence of an airstrip in Burkina, in case this is proven, is one of them. That said, the Burkinabè Executive promises to open an investigation to verify the veracity or otherwise of the information. In any case, all Burkinabè are waiting for all the light to be shed on this affair. But in this matter, it is prudent to adopt the posture of Saint Thomas: wait to see before believing. Indeed, many old dark cases, about which we had promised to open investigations, still keep their share of mystery. And for good reason: the promised investigations were more intended to deceive public opinion by playing on time, than to contribute to the manifestation of the truth. Moreover, we can say that the best way to forget a mysterious affair in our tropics is to dedicate an investigation to it. The illustration of this is the case of the disappearance of the ten tank trucks filled with fuel in the Eastern region. Prior to this case, there were also recurrent disappearances of tanker trucks on the Kaya-Dori axis. The government had promised to shed light on these Kafkaesque affairs. Many months later, the Burkinabè are still awaiting the conclusions of these investigations. Faced with these cases of missing tankers, in this end of the country of only about 274,000 km2, we don’t know if we should laugh or cry. And if at the end of the promised investigation, the veracity of the existence of an airstrip were to be established, the Burkinabè would be entitled to demand accountability from whomever it may concern. Because that would prove that they are not governed. In normal countries, for less than that, responsibilities are located and heads roll. In any case, the case of the disappearance of the tanker trucks, whether proven or not, gives the opportunity to challenge the authorities on the imperative need to provide the country with efficient surveillance devices to prevent these case. Yesterday, we witnessed the disappearance of tank trucks. Today, we are talking about the existence of a clandestine airstrip in Burkina. Tomorrow, and knock on wood, it is not excluded that we learn that the terrorists have created a training camp in the heart of Ouaga.
Sidzabda