Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man

Directed by Robin Shuffield (2006)

Film Review

This film is especially pertinent, given the West’s latest attempted coup two weeks ago (see Tensions Mount in Burkino Faso a Week After the Coup Attemp). Burkino Faso was one of the first African countries to successful resist Western economic colonialism. The popular resistance there was largely inspired by revolutionary hero Thomas Sankara, often referred to as Africa’s Che Guevara.

Thomas Sankara came to power in the Republic of Upper Volta in 1983 and changed the country’s name to Burkino Faso (land of the upright man). The chief aim of Sankara’s regime was to free his country from French neocolonial rule. Prior to Sankara’s rule, the country’s chief purpose was as a reservoir of cheap labor for its neighbor Ivory Coast.

One of Sankara’s first acts as president was to reduce the salaries of public officials (including his own) and require them to give up their Mercedes for cheaper brands. He also banned unions and opposition parties (many of which were infiltrated by the CIA under its USAID program).

His first main goal was to reduce Burkino Fasso’s reliance on colonial powers by making it self-sufficient in food production. This involved considerable infrastructure investment, including the first African campaign against desertification and the planting of several million trees, as well a heavy investment in irrigation and fertilizer production. He simultaneously enacted land reforms, removing land from the control of landowners who kept it out of food production. By 1986 the country was producing 3800-3900 kg of wheat per hectare, in contrast to the African average of 1700 kg per hectare.

He also built affordable housing in city slums and began major road and rail construction. His goal was to connect the cities with the country’s manganese mines (to eliminate reliance on foreign countries to run them and to isolated rural areas. He also endeavored to increase funding for science and technology education and manufacturing

In 1984 he embarked on a cultural revolution in which he questioned the way traditional African society devalued women. He was one of the first world leaders to argue for women’s rights and advocated for all women who wanted to work to have access to paid employment. He also outlawed forced marriages, clitoral excision and male violence against their wives. He encouraged women to join the military and appointed them to ministerial positions.

As part of his campaign to guarantee food, housing and health care to all Burkino Faso citizens, he vaccinated 2 1/2 million people over a week. and started a massive physical fitness campaign.

Sharing the same vision as Jerry John Rawlins did for Ghana, he had substantial influence over the Organization for African Unity (OAU). He encouraged other OAU leaders to resist interest rate increases on foreign debt and confronted many of them for getting rich off the backs of their citizens.

In 1986 the country experienced an economic downturn, and he implemented a number of disastrous policies:

• Peoples revolutionary tribunals, in which local officials and ordinary citizens were encouraged to try corrupt government leaders and bureaucrats, people who didn’t work hard enough or behaved like counterrevolutionaries. Although the only punishment was public humiliation, people were forced to prove their innocence and some local leaders established tribunals to settle personal scores.
• Firing 1200-1400 primary teachers, when students started to try their teachers, who went on strike.
• Replacing striking teachers with revolutionary teachers with 10 days training.
• Appointing people with no military training to run revolutionary defense committees and to use their weapons to settle private scores.

The resulting popular disaffection coincided with raight wing shift in France’s government (with Jacques Chirac becoming prime minister).

With French support, Sankhara’s personal guard and second in command Blaise Compaoré launched a coup on October 15,1987 in which Sankhara was killed. Compaoré, who remained president until 2014, instituted a “recitification” of the revolution and returned Burkina Faso to its colonial relationship with France and the Ivory Coast.

Sankhara’s death was widely mourned. Despite accusations Sankhara enriched himself personally from his rule, a thorough investigation revealed he died with empty pockets.