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Burkina Military Chief Vows to Hand Power to Civilians

by VOA News November 04, 2014

Burkina Faso's Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac Zida, who took power after the resignation of the country's longtime president Blaise Compaore last week, promised on Tuesday to return the country to civilian rule, a traditional leader said.

'Lieutenant-Colonel Zida and his delegation came to say that they want to hand power over to civilians and we encourage them to move in this direction,'' the king of the country's majority Mossi ethnic group, Naba Baongo II, told reporters.

'The country must regain its peace and calm,'' he said following a meeting with Zida.

Earlier Tuesday, opposition leaders called off protests as they continue holding talks with the military leadership on forming a 'national consensus' government.

Opposition leader Zephirin Diabre said the army has promised to soon present a document outlining a transition process. Diabre said the opposition will then review the plan, and the dialogue will continue.

The military took control Friday, after longtime President Blaise Compaore resigned in the face of protests against his effort to amend the constitution to allow him to run for another term.

The military appointed Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida as interim president.

The opposition said Zida told them he will lift his suspension of Burkina Faso's constitution, which would lead to a constitutional council asking all sides to propose an interim leader.

Civilian leader

The African Union has joined the opposition in saying a new interim leader must be a civilian.

The AU Peace and Security Council said Monday the military has two weeks to return power to a civilian transitional government 'or else.'

Also Monday, United Nations special representative Mohamed Ibn Chambas met with opposition and military leaders as part of an effort to 'quickly find a solution that is consistent with the national constitution.'

A joint mission that includes the U.N., African Union and the Economic Community of West African States said in a statement it is encouraged by the commitments of all sides to work together to organize a transition.

There were no reports of unrest Monday in the capital, Ouagadougou, a day after protests against the military.

Demonstrators Sunday called on Zida to step down. One person was killed when soldiers fired on a crowd at the state television station.

Some material for this report came from Reuters