Clashes over Burkina leader’s power plans

OUAGADOUGOU

Protesters battled police in the capital of Burkina Faso on Tuesday after a massive rally against plans to let the long-serving president extend his rule beyond 30 years.

Firing tear gas, security forces charged demonstrators after they apparently ventured too close to parliament.

Most of the protesters fled but several hundred stayed on to battle the police, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

The violence erupted at the end of a march in Ouagadougou that drew up to a million people, according to opposition leaders fighting to prevent what they see as a constitutional coup by supporters of President Blaise Compaore.

Schools and universities have closed for the week of protests planned in the impoverished West African nation against the move to prolong Campaore’s 27-year-rule by allowing him to seek another term next year.

Pre-dawn violence had already broken out early Tuesday as gendarmes fired tear gas at dozens of youths barricading the country’s main highway, who hurled stones in response, according to an AFP reporter.

Hundreds of thousands of people later set off from the capital’s main Nation square, blowing whistles and vuvuzela trumpets, before the violence broke out.

Senior opposition figures Benewende Sankara and Ablasse Ouedraogo claimed a million-strong turnout, well above a previous rally in August.

Protesters carried banners reading “Blaise Get Out!” or “Don’t Touch Article 37”, in reference to the constitutional term limit that may be scrapped to let the president seek re-election.

“Our march is already a huge success, phenomenal,” said opposition leader Zephirin Diabre. “Our struggle has entered its final phase. It’s make or break time — the nation or death!”

“This is our final warning for Blaise Compaore to withdraw today” the draft amendment to be brought before the National Assembly on Thursday.