Faith Nyasuguta
Burkina Faso’s military junta has suspended the U.S.-funded news organization Voice of America (VOA) for three months. This decision was announced by the Superior Council for Communication (CSC), citing concerns over the content of VOA’s broadcasts. The suspension is part of a broader effort by the junta to control the narrative around the ongoing militant violence in the country and neighboring Mali.
The CSC accused VOA of demoralizing troops in Burkina Faso and Mali through its coverage.A specific broadcast on September 19 was highlighted, which was later aired by a local radio station. The council claimed that the broadcast undermined the morale of the armed forces. This move follows a pattern of media suppression by the junta, which has targeted several media organizations since seizing power in 2022.
The junta’s actions have raised concerns about media freedom in Burkina Faso. Since taking control, the military government has been accused of targeting journalists and activists. Earlier this year, both VOA and the BBC were suspended for two weeks following their coverage of a Human Rights Watch report on a mass killing of civilians by the country’s armed forces.
The CSC criticized VOA’s “Washington Forum” program for its reporting on a rare attack on a military training camp and airport in Mali’s capital, which resulted in the death of soldiers. The network’s coverage of an August militant attack in central Burkina Faso, where at least 100 villagers and soldiers were killed, was also condemned.
Burkina Faso has been plagued by violence for about a decade, with militants linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group clashing with state-backed forces. This conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 20,000 people and displaced over 2 million, more than half of whom are children. Both sides have been accused of targeting civilians caught in the middle of the violence.
The suspension of VOA is seen as part of the junta’s broader strategy to control information and maintain power. The CSC’s statement emphasized the need to protect the morale of the armed forces and prevent the dissemination of information that could be seen as supportive of terrorism. The council also announced a temporary ban on local media using international news reports, further tightening control over the flow of information.
The VOA and its parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, have not immediately commented on the suspension. The CSC’s communique did not specifically mention VOA but referred to the dissemination of malicious and biased information by national outlets using international media reports. The council accused these reports of apologizing for terrorism and undermining the efforts of the armed forces.
This is not the first time VOA has faced suspension in Burkina Faso. Earlier this year, the network was suspended along with the BBC following their coverage of a Human Rights Watch report. The report accused the Burkinabe army of abuses against civilian populations. Media watchdogs have documented a decline in media freedoms in Burkina Faso since the military took power.
The country has seen a significant drop in its ranking on the World Press Freedom Index, falling from 37th place in 2021 to 86th this year.
The junta’s actions reflect a broader trend of media suppression in conflict zones, where controlling the narrative is seen as crucial to maintaining power.
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