Burkina Faso/Djibo Attack: Government reaction to UN Human Rights office Publication

The government of Burkina Faso on Thursday expressed its dismay at the press release issued by the United Nations Human Rights Office in connection with the terrorist attack valiantly repelled by Burkina Faso’s fighting forces on 26 and 27 November in the town of Djibo.

The government of Burkina Faso regrets and does not approve of certain remarks made by the spokesman of the UN human rights office in the press release.

According to the Burkina Faso authorities, these comments tend to put terrorists and the state on an equal footing.

A disguised way of giving importance to and encouraging terrorist acts.

Indeed, after the battle at Djibo, heroically won by the Burkinabe army, Mr Seif Magango, from his post in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, issued a press release entitled Comment by the spokesman for the UN human rights office, after at least 40 civilians had been killed by the JNIM in Burkina Faso.

Without even offering his compassions to the people of Burkina Faso or to the valiant fighters, or even condemning the invasion of Djibo by the terrorists, he set about taking stock of the loss of life and the wounded, without an official statement from the Burkina Faso government.

The government of Burkina Faso also objected to the use of the word «parties» in its statement calling on «all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by refraining from targeting civilians and civilian objects».

The authorities in Burkina Faso vehemently rejected this statement, arguing that it was unacceptable and implied that terrorists were the equals of states.

The representatives of the government of Burkina Faso before the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Burkina Faso recalled the actions taken by the country on the issue of human rights.

Cedric KABORE