Lomé, October 12, 2024 – (©AfreePress) – Faced with the alarming deterioration of the democratic and security situation in the Sahel, the Council for Resistance and Democratic Renewal in Africa (CRR-DA) has issued a powerful appeal to the international community, African populations, and the military regimes in power.
In a statement published on October 12, 2024, the CRR-DA denounces « serious violations of democracy and human rights » in several Sahelian countries, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
A grim assessment of democratic regression and security crisis
The Council points to several alarming observations: the undermining of constitutional order, the worsening security crisis, and the growing subordination of Sahelian countries to emerging foreign powers. The initial promises of military juntas to restore stability and organize democratic transitions have faded, giving way to authoritarian governance marked by repression of civil liberties and the prolonged suspension of political activities, the statement’s signatories assert.
Highlighting the rise of terrorist groups and the failure of military regimes to effectively combat them, the CRR-DA stresses the extreme poverty affecting millions of people. The Council also observes that restrictions on freedoms, arbitrary arrests of political opponents, and the silencing of the press have become commonplace under these authoritarian regimes.
A call for immediate democratic transition
In its statement, the CRR-DA calls on the military authorities in power to urgently outline a clear roadmap for the transition back to constitutional order. It demands the immediate lifting of repressive measures, the release of political prisoners, including Niger’s former president Mohamed Bazoum, and the reopening of land borders between Niger and Benin to alleviate the suffering of the population.
The necessity of free elections and a new constitutional era
The CRR-DA calls for free, transparent, and inclusive elections under the supervision of independent bodies to ensure credible outcomes. It also advocates for the establishment of a new constitutional era based on respect for democratic institutions, the fight against corruption, the promotion of human rights, and social justice.
A call for African mobilization
The Council of Resistance urges all active forces, African and West African patriots, to peacefully resist these militaristic and authoritarian regimes. It also calls for the revitalization of ECOWAS, to make it a genuine instrument of regional integration and solidarity among peoples, the statement concludes.
This declaration reflects the CRR-DA’s unwavering desire to see the African continent restore democracy and peace, thwarting the maneuvers of political regression and manipulation.
The organizations that signed the statement, a copy of which was obtained by AfreePress, include: the Union of the Peoples of Niger (UPN), the Malian Democrats’ Panel, the People’s Dynamic, the Union for the Future of Burkina Faso (UPA-BF), the Democratic and Popular Convention (CDP), the Collective for Popular Resistance (CRP), and several other organizations.
Olivier ADJA
