Statement of the CISC on the massacre of Karma in Burkina Faso

Ouagadougou, 27 April 2023

It is with sadness and indignation that the Collectif contre l'Impunité et la Stigmatisation des Communautés (CISC) and partner organisations have learned of cases of summary executions of civilians, on Thursday 20 April 2023, in the villages of Karma, Dinguiri, Ramdolah, Kerga, Ménè...in the municipality of Barga, in the North region. These massacres are attributed to armed men assimilated to elements of the Burkinabe Defence and Security Forces (FDS).  

The provisional death toll, estimated at more than a hundred civilian victims, continues to rise as the search continues, according to testimonies collected on the ground. So far, our teams have documented and recorded 136 dead bodies in Karma, including 50 women and 21 children, among whom were babies under 30 days old killed on their mothers' backs. Resource persons such as the imam, the muezin and the village development advisor (VDC) who were all in Lent were killed.  

In other villages, at least 6 people were killed in Dinguiri, 2 people in Ménè and 3 others on the Ouahigouya-Barga road. A dozen injured civilians were transferred to the Ouahigouya University Hospital.  

According to the testimonies of five (5) direct sources, it was on Thursday 20 April 2023, around 7:30 am, that the villages began to be visited by armed men wearing Burkinabe militaryuniforms who came in large numbers on motorbikes, pickups and armoured vehicles.  

They grouped the civilians in dozens and by neighbourhoods, taking care to assign armed men to each grouping, with the slogan: "Kill everyone". The assailants spoke in several languages, including French, Mooré, Dioula and Lobiri. People are able to recognise the languages easily because of their travels in the interior of the country and their gold panning activities. Among them, one became famous for his cruelty, because he encouraged the men in charge of executions to speed up the killings. The latter carried out the killings, killing anyone they met on their way: women, elderly people and children.  

It should be noted that nineteen (19) people, placed under the custody of a sub-group, were spared, as these armed men later withdrew.  

Following this carnage, the inhabitants of the villages (20) in the commune of Barga and neighbouring localities abandoned their land to take refuge in Ouahigouya.  

These massacres follow a terrorist attack on 15 April 2023, which killed 6 soldiers and at least 34 army auxiliaries in a village halfway between Ouahigouya and Barga. Survivors' testimonies indicate that the attackers accused the inhabitants of the village of harbouring members of terrorist groups.  

The ICSC notes with bitterness that this is not an isolated massacre. It strongly and vehemently condemns this latest massacre, which follows on from other cases perpetrated in recent months. These include:  

• 8 March 2023 in Rollo (Northen region): 21 people killed during an operation conductedby armed men assimilated to FDS and VDP;  

• 2 February 2023 in Sakoani, Piéga, Kankangou... (Region of East): 30 people murdered by amilitary convoy escorting the Boungou mine;  

• 8 August 2022 in Tougouri (Northen region): at least 50 people murdered by FDS and VDP;  

• 30 and 31 December 2022 in Nouna (Western region): more than 28 people killed by VDP enrolled dozos;  

Since January 2019, the General Staff of the Armed Forces and all successive governments have always promised judicial enquiries to establish responsibility. But it is clear that the civilian and military prosecutors' offices have never carried out any judicial investigations.  

It appears that impunity opens the way to all possible abuses, ranging from settling of scores to large-scale massacres. With this behaviour, the defence and security forces inspire fear and mistrust in the population, providing a breeding ground for terrorist groups who present themselves in certain localities as their defenders and protectors.  

It is high time that the highest authorities urgently review the policy of the fight against terrorism, which leads to the trivialisation of human life. Above all, it is up to the President of the Transition, the Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces, to stand out, to show his posture as a statesman, concerned about the right to life, who protects all his fellow citizens.  

On this basis, the CISC :  

• Extends its condolences to the bereaved families and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.  

• Commends the authorities for their involvement in the burial of the victims on this day, 27 April 2023.  

It also requires :  

• A full and impartial judicial enquiry into these horrific crimes against civilians, in order to bring all those responsible and those who ordered them to justice, both nationally and internationally;  

• respect for international human rights agreements ratified by Burkina Faso  

Finally, it invites :  

• all Burkinabè to rise up against these crimes which are detrimental to the interest of our nation and to support the people of Karma and the neighbouring villages.  

• all friends and partners of Burkina Faso to do their utmost to ensure that these mass crimes do not occur again. 

The Secretary General

Dr Daouda DIALLO

Winner of Martin Ennals Award 2022

Knight of the National Order