Pdf a political biography of thomas sankara 19491987. He believed radical change would only come when people were convinced and active, not passive and conquered. He believed change must be creative, nonconformist indeed containing a certain amount of madness. Sankara, as fidel so memorably said of che, did not think that man is an incorrigible little animal, capable of advancing only if you feed him grass db 10 31082007 21. Like fidel and che, sankara believed in the men and women so arrogantly dismissed by the rulers of the imperialist world. Sankara was then arrested after the french presidents african affairs adviser, guy penne, met with col. Thomas sankara, the upright revolutionary african roots dw. A quarter century after the 15 october 1987 assassination of thomas sankara in a military. Burkina faso president thomas sankara, who between 1983 to 1987 led one of the great.
Why burkina fasos late revolutionary leader thomas sankara still. As a result, upper volta experienced far less investment, infrastructure development, market penetration or class stratification than did many african colonies in. From upper volta to burkina faso usf scholar commons. Sankara s roman catholic parents wanted him to be a priest. Giga german institute of global and area studies, institute of african affairs in co operation with. He held that position until 1987, when he was killed during another coup. Giga german institute of global and area studies, institute of african affairs in cooperation with. Patrice lumumba, eduardo mondlane, samora machel, amilcar cabral. Thomas sankara 19491987 is one of the most famous political figures in contemporary.
The regular army did not support the coup either, even though many. Procedures in these trials, especially legal protections for the accused, did not. West african nation burkina faso from 1983 to 1987, was killed in the belief that it could extinguish the. Thomas sankara president of burkina faso britannica. Thomas sankara was a burkinabe revolutionary and president of burkina faso from 1983 to. Thomas sankara remains a potent symbol for democracy and.
Thomas sankara, military officer and proponent of panafricanism who was installed as president of upper volta later burkina faso in 1983 after a military coup. Where did all the genuine african revolutionaries go. Thomas sankara, marxist revolutions, postcolonial west african. Thomas sankara had great belief in people not just the people of burkina faso or africa, but people across the world. Mediated sankarism african studies quarterly university of florida. Born in 1949, captain thomas sankara took power during the.
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