Known as Africa's Che Guevara, Captain Sankara
was hailed by many as a charismatic and revolutionary leader. But he was killed in October 1987 when his former leading associate, current President Blaise Compaore, seized power in a coup d'état. “An inquest will reveal France’s responsibility. I’ll be quite happy if France is not implicated. But the important thing is that the obscurity surrounding death will be brought to light,"
Chassaigne told Press TV correspondent Ramin
Mazaheri on Friday in Paris. Many say that Sankara was killed with the help of the intelligence agencies of the United States andFrance.

His reforms included nationalization of natural
resources, environmental protection, land redistribution, and most notably, the rejection of foreign aid and debt repudiation, which was meant to avert the power and influence of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, but which also created many enemies for the young revolutionary. Sankara became president after seizing power in a coup in August 1983 when he was just 33 years old. He renamed the country, which was formerly known as Upper Volta, Burkina Faso, which can be translated as “Land of Upright Men” or “Land of the Honest People.” Captain Sankara began a nationwide literacy campaign, and 2.5 million children were vaccinated against meningitis, yellow fever, and measles duringhis time in office. In addition, over ten million trees were planted to halt the desertification of the Sahel, and wheat production was doubled. Sankara was also a great supporter of women’s rights. He outlawed female genital mutilation and forced marriages and appointed women to high posts in the government. With the Cold War still on, such leftist reforms drew immediate retaliation.

France has yet to acknowledge its role and most probably will not do so in the foreseeable future. Even though the French media has largely ignored
the call for a parliamentary inquiry, Sankara’s legacy
as an anti-imperialist and socialist visionary remains
immense.

"He proved that Africa and the developing world can
produce leaders who can set examples for the entire
world. Sankara represents an ideal, which many Western leaders failed to attain,” Chassaigne stated. “The world is poorer that he is not with us today,” he
added.
For Burkina Faso, Sankara’s revolution died with
him. France immediately recognized the coup of Compaore, who has held power ever since. Sankara's policies were reversed, and Burkina Faso has become one of the world’s poorest and least- developed nations. However, it is said that the spirit of Sankara lives on in the hearts of many revolutionaries across the
world.

It would be interesting to see the results of an investigation. Sankara was a great man.

At the end of such an inquest, there'd only be a revelation of French involvement or a denial. But we all know that the west operate on a policy of spinning their law to suit whatever objective at hand. they are quite inconsistent when it has to do with oversea military or paramilitary involvement.
One case is the killing of AlMaliki in Yemen. This guy was an American citizen, and the US law requires the govt to afford him the right to self-defense in a court of law. But he was extra-judicially killed by the CIA using their ominous drones.

What about Gadaffi? Did they West compel the present Libyan gov't to investigate why the ex-leader of Libya was summarily executed in the custody of the rebels now in charge of govt supported by the west? Isn't that double standards?

What about the collateral damage taking place in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia. They drop bombs to kill one so-called terrorist, but they also kill 10 innocent by-standers. It's pathetic.

They created this problems in the first place. From Afghanistan to Mali. It's their short-sightedness that is creating all these hot spots with their itinerant military. They armed the mujahideens(russo-afghan war) that later took over Afghanistan as the Taliban. They destroyed the stabilizing force in northern Africa and over-supplied weapons to the rebels in Benghazi. Now excess weapons are being used to wreak havoc in Mali and Niger, even in Nigeria.

Thomas Sankara, a true son and hero of mother Africa. RIP

Maple: Thomas Sankara, a true son and hero of mother Africa. RIP

Neocolonialism is still going on today. Smh

We have good leaders they die or get overthrown then bad leaders stay for decades funded by the west.