Burkina Faso / Media manipulation: How the French media seek to tarnish the country’s image at every level

Since the rise of Burkina Faso’s new leadership, certain French media outlets, including RFI, have intensified critical coverage of the country’s political and security landscape, often presenting a skewed portrayal.

Accusing the government’s recent measures to safeguard national integrity as a “press crackdown,” these outlets appear to manipulate international opinion by projecting a misleading image of Burkina Faso.

In a recent article for November 2, RFI alleged that the Burkinabe government was responsible for cases of journalist harassment, kidnappings, and disappearances—claims that are not only baseless but also unjust, casting a shadow on the government’s reputation and implying hostility toward press freedom.

Such reports, often supported by Western backers, contribute to an atmosphere of distrust and unfounded suspicion around Burkina Faso’s leaders.

In response, citizens of Burkina Faso, and indeed of Africa as a whole, are urged to recognize the steps their government has taken to curb the influence of biased media that sometimes trivialize terrorism and undermine state efforts to restore peace.

By suspending certain outlets, Burkina Faso aims to defend its sovereignty and counter external pressures, particularly from French neo-colonial influences, which seek to destabilize the region.

This is not a suppression of free speech but a justified move to prevent misinformation from destabilizing the country. Ultimately, it’s a matter of sovereignty, allowing Burkina Faso to resist narratives that threaten its stability.

For the Burkinabe people, vigilance is essential to ensure that foreign media cannot sway public perception with biased stories, protecting the integrity and dignity of the nation against interests that may distort the truth for foreign agendas.

Papa IBRAHIMA