Thomas Sankara Speaks: The Burkina Faso Revolution 1983–87

239 Pages·2007·55.47 MB·English

by  Thomas Sankara

ll by Mada Pee
‘Copyigh 98, 2007 by Pio Pree
Alloptseservee

INS E0ST5-9057

Tebvay of Cngre Crag Cand Ne 200785258
Masusictare ia United Sit of Aer.

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Pathfinder
‘wr pathfingerpress.com
smal: palhindee@ patindorposs.com

Contents

Preface by Mary-Alice Waters
Sntroduction by Michel Prasie

Maps

Burkina Faso a te time of the revolution
List of initials and acronyms

Chronology

Who are the eemis

cof the people?
‘At mace tally in Owagadougee (Merch 26,1983)
‘Aradiant future for our country
Proclamation of August agust 4, 2855
oveer must be the businese of conscious people
Press conference (Agar 2, 1983}
Building anew society, rid of scl injustice
‘and imperialist domination
Pulse Ortenation Speech (October 2, 1883}
"The Peaple’s Revelutionary Courts
Sporc we fraugaal session Janary 3, 2984)
“There is only one color—that of African unity
(On eetrn fons Africa tour Augnss 1983)
‘Gur struggle draws scength from
‘Cuba's example and support
Receining Order of Joss Mart (September 25.2984),
averting our idcntity, asserting our culture

At Barkinabé ot exlnbit in Harlem (Ossaber
‘Our White House Is Black Harlem

At rally in Harlem (October, 1984)
Freedom must be conquered

‘At United Nations General Astembly (Usioher 4 19645
‘We must fight imperialism together

Inseroiew with Totecuntinentel Press

Manh 77, 2985)
Dare toinvent the future

niertce with Jenn- Philips Rep (29855

19843

“There are attempts to unleash aa uajuat wae against ns
Speech at moe rally it Ouagadinagen
‘September 22,1285)

On Afsiea
ero with Meng Bes

November 3, 1985)

‘The Malian troops are no Tonger prisoners,
‘they are our brothers
“At Burking-Malisaliderity sally anuary &,

a6
Imporiatism isthe arsonist of oue forests
anda

tal Conference on Tees and Brest
Paris February 5, 2986)
(On books and reading
Inter ofew with Towne Afrique’ (February 1986)
French enables us to communteate
‘with other peoples in stmiggle
Message ta Tire Francophtie Sumit
(February 17 1865)

‘The CDRs’ job is to raise consciousness, act, prodace
[At irs Nattonat Conference of CDRs (April 4 1586)
At Nicaraguats ide
‘Resvork grosting Daniel Ores (gust 27,9986)

oo

155

af

189

as

“0

27

‘What is the Nonaligned Movement doing?
‘Az Nonuligned Sammi, Havaye (September 3, 1986)
‘A death that must enlighten and strengthen us
‘Speech om death of Sanna Mache! (October 1886)
ye mast make Nicaragua atraggle known
heoughout the world
St mass lly in Managua (Nacenber 8, 1996)
‘Against those who exploitand oppress ue—
here and in France
‘At olficil reception for Prangote Mitarrand
(Noverber 17, 1885)
‘The revolution cannot triumph without
the emancipation of women
(Ow Intersdonal Mantes Day (March
A.unitgd front against the debt
‘At Gnganzation of African Unity conorenc,
‘Addis Ababa uly 29,1987)
lean count on Cuba
Radio Hacawa jAugust 1987)
people who are convinced,

wel

Qué revolution needs
‘nok conquered

(On fourth asmiversary of revolution August 1287)

Light million Buskinabs; eight million sevolutionaries
in fourth aniversary of Poca Drieutato: Speech
(October 2, 1387}

You canmot Kill ideas
‘A tribute Che Gucoara (October 8, 1987)

Glossary

Index

393

cy

oe

35

ps

”

yee

387

ro
a0
Bs
"7
Preftce

“Ths prafsce ie taken trom remarks by May.4 co Waters, orc!
dent of Pathindsr Prans, tw Fabruary 10, 2005, preseritationin
Havana, Cuba, of he Speniah-enguage action of We Ard Has of
the Word's Revolutions by Tomes Sankara, abooklet pissed
IhFrench in2001 andin English re folowing year conainog fe
ofthe thirty spocchos andntoriows tha are inthis newex 0
Thomas Sankara Soaks. The evont was organized as part of ts
‘annual avana Intemational Book Fa,

‘Also spanking on tha paral were Manuol Agramonte, Cuba's
embassedcr te Burkina asc curing tie eur years of lio eolution-
fry government ied by “homes Sankara: Ananda Hert, oweaf the
Fstorc leaders ofthe Cuban Revolution ardlong-time rinistar ot
cutura and isos Estrada, dreror of Ticontnerta! magazina and
himeotan Inomationalis combatant witha larg accra of mise ena
fr aviea and -ath Armariea

‘Thisbooklee by Thoms Sankara the leader of Burkina Fso's
popular revolutionary government from 1983 to 1987, was
published by Pathfinder Press in French and then English
some three years ago. The publication of Somos herederas
de las revobiciones del mowndo means that now, for the first
time ever, a few of Senkass’s most imporcant speeches are
also availabe in Spanich. It isa powerful new weapon in the
hands of those fighting to advancealoa the road first charted
in the Communist Manifesto more than 150 years ago by
Kort Marx and Frederick Engels and their comrades.

In October 1984, adapting proctiac employed so effective

9
y by Fel [Cis ancl Che [Cucara defor irs, thors
Suckera weed the plasirm ofthe United Nations General
“Assunby to spesk for and on behalf of the oppressed and
‘exploited of the warld, “L come here to bring you frarasnal,
greens fom a aan whose coven mln eberoh,
thirst aay longer” Sankara tld“ seed deo

159-natirs.

nase hia iy net amy doctrine heres fam ne
ches eiesish son prophet. pases werk yy
aspiration i. toepesk us behalfof my peere wo seae
cz bal ofthe penedsnkenied pi of thew those
soo belong to exe world eo ronielly christenca the Thin
Wieck Ad to sito hough Ly sot suze in making
‘heen uncer, he teasons for fee"

Saal suis the deterination aad digety of she 2.
ple of ane of the poorest courtris ef impessatraaged AE
Fics—oe dat en kad dc highest nf mataliy ae
the world, a rursl illiteracy x
an average ie expectensy of sone ‘ory yrs Tle ccd
‘rut 20,and spoke ot half ell shoe the worl over we
refuse ro acept ce ecoromtcSondaye of else seis ane
ite cansogueness,incladng eco devas. ation

bsintogrator, racism, ard the were of conquest and plu
ser inevtably wena: by the workings capa tae
Sarkara lenew such condition: remot “natural” paeremnens

bur the products of today’s imperialist world ardor,

That world orcer, Sanicra explained, car: be Fon
anust be descroyed. What marked jim above all was ais cou
fidence in the “ewoluuonury capacities of ucdinary hut
beings to ucourpish this. Like Fel andl Che, Semkaca bo-
leved in te mien and women so arragay dismissed by the
rulers of the imperialist world. Sar era, a3 Fidel $0 ateane-
nobly svid of Ch, cid not think that man is “an ireorr gible
jute enimal, eapabe af advancing only if you feed him

tor tempt hiea with 2 carrot o: whip him with a seck " Son
keara, Fhe Che, knew that enyone who thinks like hat
never he a reveluriansry,.. eer bea stat,

bea communist.”
Saniare believed Share world buik on differert enone
and social foundacios cam ie created nat by “seuhinoerats
“nancial wards," “pals” kur by he ruses uF wre
ersand peasants whoa labur, joined withthe rises of neste,
ic the source of all woslth. By ordinary musnan beings who
tsansforim shernselves as they become an active, consis
force, tcanslorming their conditions of lie. And the revo-
lurimery gaversinet he heoded sac ou alorg this course,
rchilizing pessants, workers craftsmen, women, youth, the
elderly, ra carryout a literacy canspaiga, 2a immunization
drive, ro snk wel's plant eres, ouild housing, and begia to
climinate the oppressive cass raltiens on the led,

Sanlra stud out among tae leaders ofthe strug for
rational sberation i. fein in che last alf ofthe resotierh
conary hesase he was amt, Unlike so many o*h-
5, ne dig nor rejees Mardi ab a set ol “Europecn eas”
alien tothe case struggle i Aftan, Ho understood cae
Mason ie precisely not "a soe of idea,” bur the goneral-
ization af the essons ofthe struggles of the working ea
‘ashe oad w as emancipasion the world ever, enticed Ly
‘every battle, Arad be drew frors those lessons tothe best of
his abilities.

Spunlcing bofore the United Nations i 1984, he Tink
frocli struygle af the peosle of Fv-kina Fast che cane
tories of sevelutionary strugale fom the bith of epitalsot

Tiel Coors, Qatsber 9, 1987. Pablised ea “Che's Mes Ave Aer
lately Rel ey in Fonent: Che Geavaca and Fal Cast. $0
"sia Cuda (Neve York choses,
French revolutions the
end of she eghceentl centary ta the great October Revol
oa of 1917 that “transformed the world, brought victory
fo the proetatias ehvck the foundations of capitsism, and
sade possible the Paris Commark’s droms ojestien” We
are the hors of those revolutions, he aid hese the tele
ol shi small bunk

WW are “oper wall the winds oF ive will ofthe peoples
of he word au tir evolutions, having also leaned fur
sone ofthe cesible fines that leds tragic vclacus of
varman rights" rote. “We wish toners only the c
© porty from cach sewletion, This prevents Gs Sr de
coming subservignt tthe ralces of och

Asda that lie of rch, Sankara hake to Cle the
eceninent ample uf rewittiasary sroggle in our tines

om the Americar

Sesvkara was not only a leader of the people of Alisa, He
‘yas nor only a spokesman (or the expressed ard exploited a
dhe semicoloniel comantries. He gave leadersinp to working
peopl in che itnperialist world as weil, lee Inet decades of
the :yertiest consi prolecarienleadecs with the world stat
ars of Thosss Samkara, Mavrice Bishop of Grenade, and:
a similac way Malcolm X in =1e United States, nv emerged
from she ranks of the uppressed peap'es of al lards—even
the mast economically anceveloped—ro eve leacershia to
the intotustional seragule fo: nation ikecatior and soca.
em. Ard thes totale their rightful place in histoy

Thar fcr is measure of the vast cranges that have marked.
the past ceatnry—the-stroratheniny of revolutiorsry forces
srotldivide foreseen by [V.t] Lenin and the leeders af che
Comnacist internatioral ia the frst yoats alter the victory
of she Oezoker Revolutio

‘This isthe tracitior i which we ean today place the ex
ample given us by oar five Cabar, brothers whe con.inue to

fight not ee vietime, hut as combatant of fhe Chlban R
ution placed by circamstances beyond their wil
front nes of dhe cavs struggle i Use United States? Within
the fedeval prisons, wine they are serving the ereconi
sontenccs the ULS, rulers imposed on them, they are earry-
ing our she's politcal suck among some two million oth-
ere who are rhe reepeerts of whar Washington calls stice
“Thar is where we sve the original of dhe face that tho while
world has witnessed so clcerly at Guantnamo Bay Nava
soe and in Irag,$

The books produced ay Pathtinder are not sole only =
bovkstores ur through the wosldeide web. Most are sole er
the aroets fre sidewall tables in wording-clas districts
of the cites an towa ofthe Unized States an Europe, at
nine poctalsand factory gates, an university campuses and

es, Ameen Cer
real 2

2oe Cuan Pe—Terand Gonz, Rex Gon
stad He

tenes

‘rrp
dev surging Par oun yore to ers of 3a
sean Theta habe

EL Cse™—had acepted esigemenreno
= val Sinesand lee the

genpein the dna St
tt ena tacks
Seve seh lized to cescemn ite eoaviecone stone, and
‘rs ovduons of safsinenc and to demand tir reese,
at high school doors, at demamstratiome or meetings where
hose who are figating ane seeking a way Forwand for wake
jug poole sre likely vo go

Atthuse tales cre face of Thomas Sankara has a powerfel,
jndeec uniqes impact, Many passing by are ltzally supped
in their tracks whea their eye falls an the booke Thomas
Surkara Speaks a subscantia, se.eczion of sis speecaes thet
Pechfinger pul

in English ery coun afer Fe ws a
soon kore 5 Bat
they ae alte Fe condecce chara ater
they see it his fc, end wn i mone abou han

Teisanng the onng ens of than ol unatigeuns
socks frort West ane Cental rica who today ages
ng te rake of theo sin the perio senters
éxiventherehy the whiplsh fetal that Sankara shoe
kero an respested. Many are stoned ty se the fee
cf Sankara cna suet they
lise ori ct the cover of¢ book ol his speshes edited,
printed and darted tn the Unicel Stet by woeking
Zope thers wk ook to Sanaa aa zevelinery eae
‘That fact alone sede ago number oy begin to thin abot
che working la i the Laced Stars ina Serene wn
and i be ope tasting the inportaneeal as taitons
strug they bring te whet the grow estonee

rhing people in Not Armsrca one bosses apne ok
ur wages cb coals hrs of eck, el se soil
fre patiadrighes

‘nds peta a tht che conseccib eal rue
Seading Sankra sor av an imports port of Breaening
-chinercal a cultral foczane thse nko have be
bora ed for years inte impos: cere

7. Some éarnot kn shi

Since it first appented in 2988, close 20 2090 enpios sf
Thownas Sankara Specks nave been sul in Faglish alone,

and riany thousands more of the fret French edition, Qser
2 Future

iter avent—dare to invent

Fron che very beginning, ore of she hal marks of che
reuslutvnazy couse San zara foughe for was the rabiliza-
son of muasen to git for their erancipetion, As he says
Jone ofthe speeches published ae, ar. October 1985 tak
that presents the program of che government he eaded
The rovokaton and women’s Lheratiom go reer. We do

ali of women’s emaneipezon sean aot charity or oue
a aurge of hasan compusvc le 2 basi necesty f
the sevolucion to trivmpl. Wonen hold up the other half
wale a

Sankara’: powerful speech ty a gathezing of several
thousand women er Lnternarional Womens Day, Marck 8,
1957—alao consained in Thoroe Satkara Spe
pushed by Marsfindee as pamphlet, Biome’
sa te Africae Frewlom Shrggae that is nvatleae i. fous
leaguages—French, Erglis, Spanish, and Fars Some 12,000
copies ofthat tir have best seld since i Ltt appented in

flch translation almon: fife: years ago—mare chen
300 i Fara ir Tran aller

‘Weare pour thot with the pubicaian of thisslecon of
some nf the rose representative of Sacha’ other speeches,
“ie ucce will ne be aezrd more aroadly in Spanish, Se

fel mse includes, foe

ered as revoliictax

xemale, his powerful speech on imperialiem’s destruesion
cf the trees and farests of Altice, given toan interrational
sonferance in Paris it 1986,

Before zap digaitaci of the French irap
sankara afirzact:

“The battle agains: the eucresclusent of the Coser is
battle to establish abalence between man, narura, ard

y As sav, it ea political date akove all, snd act
an acto Fate
As Karl Marx said, these who Te n padnee do aot
thirk about che same things, sein the same was as
those t

i ive in a ha, Tai tragic tm defend de toees
ard fore

s above alls stragage against imperialism

igainst mp.
Tnperia.im is she avsonist sstang fire to our forests
ard ous savasmas

‘hat spesch by Sar kara is ited extensively i the seventy
proce “ee nunbur 13 of Neve International maxezine
which sole being proscated kere radyy. Faons its lead a
Ce, entitle: “Our Police Stare with the Workl” by Jee
Barnes sce photo of Encl at Night om its beck cover—a
photo that exptancs the eeoremie and cultural inequelties,
the yertable abyss, Gat exes harweea the ingerialist and
semicolon] nnmtries, ane among clas

ery country this seas of tne magazin

# Macxist politics
ad sheury disenbuted by Pathlinder deale in depsh wich
tnaty of se same political issues ane the course uf 4
Senliara fought to advan

scant ro point to he dep-h of Sankara’ inter
nationslisin evident in these pages. Lor him, the popular,
esas etna rug the prea us
so was one withthe srngges lo briny down the aparthec
regane of South Afrcasfats ane nit she antitpera~
det st-uggies of the people of Angola, Namibia, Palestine,
esters Sakaca, and Nesraguay it was one with the aeuple
of Harem acho so warmly vekcorsed im there in 1384; it
was me wie ae working eaple of sans the Lite States,
aud scross the -anporitiet were,

Je was 9 Maaagea ir: 1986 that ! had she afessuss of
meeting and coring to know

a nic eae, We were
seth ansveracy ofthe hundinger the senda

PSN} end the tenth anniversary

foanéing FSLN leades Carlos Fo-

scat the rally on behalf of

ions present there,

ine Sait Work

ont, he made a point
us. ewes mut just

[National Likeration Fro:
of the fall in combat
soa, Sanka Wa
the 160 international delogst

‘Wher he laaned the: a delegation fo
eve Parry in the Laited Scates was pro
of heeding strait to out table 20 gr
aan act diolomacy: he carge¢0 ral: politics with fellow
evolutionists. He knew tho ne newerveekly was
‘ne of the few papers outsige Africa thar vepular'y wrote
bout the revolutionary course unfolding in Baskina Faso,
uurtying interviews and spseches by Seukara srhenever we
saul get thems

‘The presentation of Somos horederas de les revoluciones
el anno hers in Cuba is expecially appruprate because of
the fiaal section st contains, Senkara’scr-bate to Che ou
(October 8, 1987, Thar twentieth asiaiversay of Che's il! in
ceombat was rarely a week before the cocrterrevolutionayy
‘coup uta that cided Senkara’s own Life

Tis waly beccase of a fortensce amr nario of eiecum=
stenese thot Saakarn’s words ar Phat memorable event are
available to 48 today. Lhe exhibirien focssing on Che's rev-
olusionary curse and example, inaugurated tet day 2¥
Sankara, siincided with the opening of ar. interna-ioral
antieparthosé canderence in Ouagadougou sttended by cel-
gacione from snmme toventy-nine countries, Among their
w froma she United States and Canada, sup
1nd of Pechfiner Press

They era aga ogy en oot a
seer th Cbcbven Carts a arabet shy Cuban
Spates When Sekar bepen Ne inprongen ek,
the tie chraciancompadsoe pul is Ope

She ud in her backpack one scored them The
ee

‘ronzcrched and published them sbuetly ofterward, and they
are incluced here in “air cotlity
Che taughs us “we con dare w have confidence fn ost

sevves ane cur sbilitics.” Sankara painted aut an that occa:

son. Che instilled in us the conviction that “steugele ss our
aly recurs
Cle, Sunkars meisted, was "a citizen of the free world
the free warld thar we're building togesher, Thal’s why we
say shat Che Geevaca ie also Africen and Bucsicab”
vhst more appropriate pines =n end?

Mace Alice Wicter

Introduction

On August 4, 1963, 4 popula aprisingin the West African
natioa shen snown ¢ Upper Volts ininated one of the 0st
srafoutlreylutionsin Affe: history. A former colony of
France, Upper Vast, wird srive than seven million sched
tarts, wasamong the work's poorest counties, Thecental
Jeera the reveluaion eas Thomas Sankaca, who Became
present f she neve government a the sae of -hirtythree.
‘A year late: the people of Upper Voiza adopted
Buslcna Feso—tke Land of Upright Men.
“aoitas Seaicara wos born in Decembe: 2648 in Yao in
eu center of the enum: His Lashor was an assistart peli
Iai, et sha time one of she cnuntry’s ‘ew inhabitants co
ion, Tis ‘ami'y swoved

stk for tae coloriel adroit
Ceoua seer the border with Céte d'Ivoire (Ivory Ceast] an
the counare’s southwest, where Sankara azterded elemea-
tory school ard was among the tiay hand‘o! of Afsican
youth fortunate enough te gzia a high seri! education.
"1 Tobn-Pulasso, He then setered
choo! in. Kambuinsé—oae of the few avenues for yours
poopie af his genesaion in sub-Saharan Arica to receive a
higner edvestion,

‘While Sackaca was continaing his zing ir Madagascar,
tens of thousands of workers ard students otganized mass
na. toppled He gover

1@ Xodingo military

snonstratvate and stikes in 1%
nt. Tae scope and chavacter of the popalar mobilization
had o deep impact on Suan. Jt was alea in: Madayescar tha
Sanketa fitet became acquainted wich Marxism, Csrougin
suuly wonsand tcuesians with students fa Farce eho
foe boc oart ofthe Nay 1968 arerevolticnary apsnrge
these. Busing sdeeyuene say in once tx ae
slrguarigeapatip, eka scoue lat:
wots by commit ents Keel Maca aa Lenin
‘A liutenant in Upper Voll army, Sakata extne co
Sit Maen Desaner I74andlanaaey £673
deeosreed ae “useless and unyust” Over “h

ware le

next several
years, he inked ap wth otker junior officers and so.d
Gissesisled wit the eppsessive conditions in Upper Woa
perpetuated sy she mperaust rulersin Paris and eeeskere,
svi.a ae suppor af lindlords, ausiressmen,eribal chieftain,
and politicians ax home
Jailed risly 191982 afer resigning & gaversment post
co protest the ragime’s zepressive policies, Sonkara wae ap-
plied prime minister in January 1585 in the wake of a
coup that made Jeon-Bopriete Ouédreogo te president of
the councry. Sansaro uscd chat altfurm ro urge cae people
4 Upper Vola and elswchare ia Advice w advance isi ne
feresis against se opersisd eagles at hen
“his uncozominingcoucce et» growing
orcesin the government It May Ou
andsome of his supporters arrered.
ot protexs by shousanes, Quédraogo tremsferrod Sane
kara from prisan wa house arves, Ia the followers, moathe,
ons deepen! arose the county, kuading tr
8 polisel showdown
On Anges: 4, 1983, sume 236 coldiots led by Captain
Baie Compsoré mare rom an inurgers rly b
in P6 wo the capita’ of Ounygadovgoa, Lhe regime of Teen
Tantiste Ouddeasga was overtkrown in a pepuler upr'sng
Sanisota became president of she new National Cinna
Jig Revelurion, Over she

fous years the popular rev-

olucionary government under Sarksra’s leadership ogi
nizee tae poasones, workers, and young pe

Jeqpeyoing eeormicanc soci’ measures thal
sighs and prerogatives of che region's landed aristocracy
nd wealthy seerckanis. They joined with worsang people
the world aver te oppose imperialist dorainasion, Mass
sgvizations of peaaes, cealiemen, workers, youth, woenc,

and elders were iit
‘With becad popular suppor the government savlished wib-
tee paysmer:s and compeisnry bor services so village chiefs.
Ii nationalized the land to geararsee rural tov ers—some i)
[percent uf she aepuation—aecess tu the Lrus oftheir labors
te oravdaerivefasimers, The pricas peasants received from the
terrernnment fr basic fond crops were increased, The govern
‘met laurched tree-planting and irsigasion projets toine-esse
productivity and stop the advance af se deser: ia the Saael
region in che north oF the country. It organized mass

rren-zasion carapnigns, and made basic acalth cave services
saailable to mnllions. By 1988 snfant morts'ity hac fallen
froin 208 for every 1/000 live buths atthe degisming of the
dccade 10 113, and the acaclerated spreed of pavasite-ieduced
river biindaess hed been curbs. Ina country where illiteracy
‘was92 pescert —and even higher in the countryside iecary
compnigns in its indigenoas angucgee were initsned, Steps
ov tart anat the age-old sukjugetion of women, who
sxere anentraged to oggarize to fight for thels emancipation,
‘The government fused public werlce =u bai zoads, echo
od housing, Trusting in the jestice of the working class and
to ery for

peasantry, (et up 2opular ravalationary cout
mer leaders acu iugh officials accused of zor
‘Led by Sankar, the Harkirsh Revolution caars
of internationals: solidariy with those fighting uperession
ane explnitation ia Alvica and worldwide, Sankars champ'-
of che people af Wester. Sahara ayainst the
‘ecupation of she country by Morosco enc elped lead
wcessul fight to admit the Sahseswi represeratives eo
the Ongasuzasion af Afsicas Unity. He avely organized
sopgory in Africa and beyend, forthe scragele apanet oe
apartheid ere in South Africa ars fr the Palestinian
fight to resstehiih sheir hornsland, Sackera eampsignes
for carceliation o£ the umerons debt impose on serutelo-
ial wxeraries by izaperalst goverocests and bance. Me
spoke in New York City’s Harlem to demonstrate sapps=
{61 Africon-Americns Fight against racist oppression and
{or other stuaggles by worsing aeuple in che Unis Stars,
He extetded Burkiva’s hand i0 rising covoluseaary st
Iss in Central Arverica aed eae Caribbean, visiting Cuba
dn 1984 end 2988, ard Nicaragua in 1986, where he spoke
coy Schalf of all heinternstanna goes at 2 20006
al'y asking 2c renty-Llth snniversary of te Sa
National Librsion to

In August 1987 speaking in Burkina Fxeo on che an-
niversary of the revclorionary upeising fouz yeots earlier,
Sanlars sinphativel she, "The decveracard posta
cso sun peg rota congue ea
cnnvcnced people, co: 4 submissive people assively endur=
ingther ate” Growing ruber of woth, seasons an
‘oth ssn fora the ranks esac a aecple ere Deon
volved in social ard politisal fei Burkina Fase setting
am exami that was al-ealyreverberusing throug out Cen
fn) West Afra: beyond the boners he loca
couatry. On Octobe Capt. Blase Compacid ed a
Iikitary amp sorving she inreresi of thase—at howe and
abroad whose property ard clase deanination were threat
ned by ths deew-gltg eve arionacyan:bilization. Saskara
and uvelve af is aides and bodyguarés were eesassinatec
and (he sevuluriomary government destroyed

A weak befure his deat, at = specaa, eoramemoration -tt
the capa of Ouuzacoagou, Ses-eara bad spoken abou b=
resto Che Growsra, the Argontise-bars leader of the Cl

rersantcron ! 23
evolution wi died i eorabar twenty years evlcr during
av interutionalist sion i Bolivia. ts 2 2peech reproduced
fh ths nk, Sagara, spealiny i Che's lepaey,noceé chet,
revolitincaes as individuals ca be killed but “you cannot
{pill ideas?” Thornas Sa-ara has himell become a sybol
for milings of worters, peasants, asd youth throughout
Africa especially, who seeognize ir the Buckinabé Revo-
Jhviog—and in ita concinang pelvial Heiuage- a source
of pouitea dese and inapiation for the bestles for genuine
Iiberaton on fhe cuerirent.

lection of speeches and interviews is ¢ new
cevined snd exparide, of vwo caicr boss
The ass, Thangs Samtare Speaks, was rapidly published in
English hy Pathfinder in ne months fling the aseast
tien of Sankara, Taeseocnd, Oserdscenter Favenir Dare 7
ingent the fae), was copublishec in Frone' in 199L with
PEanmaccen in Paris. Tis new edition, pub ied in French
and Engliea with ident cal tele ancl contents, appears on she
toserceth anniversary of he coup in which Sankara wes
rnurdered, Ir presentation will soineide with evencs in sev
cecal countries celeoratng the political accompl shments nc
LLving lucy of the revolutionary government he Ted

Particlaratteasion has bos pad ma placing the Burkina
Revoletn in its historical ané international eoniext. A
netace—along with a new introdcerion, snaps akolo pages,
fxplrarry nts, and ines help eee uaa
‘xith events, places, ane peop'e mentioned isthe book to find

neit wae The chaenology and glossazy hawe been updated

aed expanded in she same spiriz

This edivion inchides five new decuunent

4 Substantial extrzcs ofa previously unpublished inser
view conducted by writer Mongo Beti from Carer

# The message sen by Senlsara to the First Francophone

‘The peesea
divine, enti