Burkina Faso: BBC Afrique and VOA temporarily suspended, a sovereign decision to preserve the Army-People bond
BBC Afrique and VOA are among the foreign media outlets banned in Burkina Faso for broadcasting false information and biased articles accusing the defense and security forces of abuses against the population.
The decision by the Conseil supérieur de la communication (CSC) to suspend these media outlets is sovereign in the sense that any spark can ignite the entire country, especially when it comes to false information.
This is a strategy implemented by these media outlets to destabilize and undermine the collaboration between the army and the Burkinabe nation in the context of reclaiming national territory and protecting the people. Such articles during wartime are likely to shake social cohesion and national unity.
Since Captain Ibrahim Traoré took power in September 2022, a series of decisions to temporarily or permanently suspend several other foreign media outlets has been made. These decisions aim to consolidate the gains of the anti-terrorism fight and preserve national unity.
Furthermore, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are required to suspend access to the websites and other digital platforms of BBC, VOA, and the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) from Burkina Faso.
