![Sankara](https://countervortex.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Thomas-Sankara-800x450-1.jpg)
Burkina Faso: Sankara gets a street — but where’s the legacy?
Thomas Sankara, the revolutionary leader of Burkina Faso, was assassinated in a coup 36 years ago this week. Some see his legacy being carried forward by the head of the country’s current junta, Ibrahim Traoré. Like Sankara, Traoré seized power in his early 30s and has espoused strong anti-imperialist views. He has cut ties with former colonial ruler France, and snubbed offers of Western military aid. At a commemoration this week in Ouagadougou, authorities officially had the capital city’s Boulevard Charles de Gaulle renamed Boulevard Thomas Sankara. Detractors say Traoré mobilizes anti-imperialism to legitimize his rule, which is threatened by disgruntled soldiers and jihadist insurgents. The army captain, in power since late last year, has pursued an all-out military strategy against jihadists, spurning the dialogue options pursued by his predecessors. Insecurity has worsened under his watch, and his troops have been accused of brutal attacks against civilians. (Photo via Global Voices)