Demonstration against ‘impunity’

Around 3,000 people took part on Saturday in a peaceful demonstration in Ouagadougou against “unpunished crimes” and the suspicious death of journalist Norbert Zongo, in Ougadougou, news organisations reported. According to AFP, the head of the human rights movement in Burkina Faso, Halidou Ouedraogo, read out a statement addressed to President Blaise Compaore recalling that the government had promised to investigate unsolved crimes. The statement added that there appeared to be no movement on this promise. Also on Saturday, two people were wounded when opposition militants tried to prevent the start of a popular cross country race in Kodougou, 100 kilometres west of Ougadougou, Reuters reported. The race was organised by youths of the ruling party, but opposition activists argued that it would “tarnish the memory of Zongo.” Kodougou is the home town of Zongo, former editor of ‘The Independent’. He gained a reputation for his investigations, analyses and hard-hitting criticisms of the government and his suspicious death last December led to tension in Burkina Faso. According to new reports, his burnt body, along with three others, was recovered from a car which apparently showed no signs of fire damage. A report by a commission on his death is expected to be published by early May, AFP said.