Community of Partiaga, Eastern region, border with Niger and Benin

“The pigs wanted to eat my father, so I risked my life hiding in the caves so I could bury him overnight.” This is the terrible story to which we woke up today, from a survivor of the last terrorist massacre in a small village in the community of Partiaga, Eastern region, bordering Niger and Benin.

“What I have seen in the village is horrible to have to explain. Understand our pain – not even being able to bury our dead. I left on foot at four in the morning to sneak through the trees, because (the terrorists) came back this morning to loot what little was left (the survivor then interrupts his story and cries for two minutes). It seems that we are not Burkinabé. They continued their crime this morning by setting fire to what was left. I was hiding. After burying my father, I saw the flames. Whatever they (the authorities) say, there is no excuse for what has happened in Partiaga. There are many people missing. You can’t understand it: I don’t know where my family is. It’s serious. It’s serious. The mine (there is a gold mine) could save us, but, unfortunately, our problem is not their business.”

The direct account of the testimonies of the relatives of a group of neighbors – born in Partiaga and living in Ouagadougou – denounces that the “Defense and Security Forces retreated and abandoned the towns.” “Despite the inhabitants’ call for help for more than two weeks, only the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP) – civilian auxiliaries of the army – stayed to defend the village.”  “The terrorists surrounded the village for days before launching their attack.  The men who stood in their way were shot.  It was a massacre. The village was completely looted and burned.”

Women and children fleeing “with what they are wearing.” Illustration photo: © Joerg Boethling

There are still no official figures, but it is rumored that more than 70 are dead.

This beginning of this year has been marked by an important deterioration of security here. The terrorists, more determined than ever, have intensified their attacks, which are increasingly violent and bloody.  In less than two weeks, more than 100 people have died in several attacks in the north and east of the country.

Currently there are almost 2 million internally displaced persons, almost 9% of the population.

Meanwhile, in Ouagadougou, the capital, oblivious to everything that happens outside its “walls,” we are in full celebration of FESPACO, the Pan-African Film and Television Festival (the “Oscars” of the African continent). As usual, the Government, with less than 24-hours’ notice (between a Sunday and a Monday), has decreed for both public and private sectors obligatory continuous working hours of 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to allow the population to enjoy in the afternoons the festival films.

With no desire to be a bad omen, I can’t help but mention that the last two coups d’état have been preceded by situations like the one in which we now find ourselves.

Thus, I ask you to pray for this moment in which we find ourselves because it is, if it’s even possible, even more fragile than usual, but confidents in the fact that we are still in our as “microcosm of FAR in Rimkieta” (see post France 0 – Russia 1 (Wagner arrives in Burkina)).  Queen of Peace, pray for us.