As the 45th session of the Human Rights Council draws to a close, the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and its partners within the SOS-Torture Network are urging the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, along with all Council members, to direct significant attention towards the Fulani communities in Burkina Faso. These populations find themselves severely impacted by the ongoing counter-terrorism efforts across the Sahel region.

Since 2016, the Fulani people of Burkina Faso have endured egregious human rights violations, some of which may constitute international crimes. The extent of massacres in several areas, characterized by their massive, widespread, and systematic nature, raises concerns that they could amount to ethnic cleansing.

These violations frequently involve extrajudicial executions of thousands of civilians, perpetrated either by state security forces aided by state-supported self-defense groups or by non-state armed factions. Between January 2019 and May 2020, hundreds of civilians were brutally killed in locations such as Yirgou, Kain Ouro, Banh, Barga, Djibo, and Tawalbougou. Furthermore, thousands more civilians, including children, are languishing in prisons, notably in Kaya and Loumbila, under inhumane conditions. These individuals have been subjected to arbitrary arrests and secret detentions, often without ever meeting with magistrates or legal counsel. This situation has fostered an environment of discrimination and stigmatization against these communities, who also face acute food insecurity.

Despite numerous reports and formal complaints lodged with the courts, Burkinabe authorities have failed to identify and prosecute those responsible for these violations. We call upon the Human Rights Council to recommend that the authorities of Burkina Faso implement all necessary security and judicial measures to establish a protective environment for this vulnerable group.

Media Contact:

Iolanda Jaquemet, Communications Director
[email protected]
(+) 41 79 539 41 06

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) stands as the leading global coalition of NGOs dedicated to combating torture and ill-treatment. It comprises over 200 member organizations in more than 90 countries, with its international secretariat based in Geneva, Switzerland.