Blaise Compaoré (born February 3, 1951) has been the president of Burkina Faso since 1987. He is the founder of the ruling political party, the Congress for Democracy and Progress. Download high resolution version (480x643, 54 KB)President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso Source: Antônio Cruz/ABr. ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in Leap years). ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thomas Sankara Thomas Sankara (December 21, 1949 - October 15, 1987) was a charismatic left-leaning leader in West Africa. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Ouagadougou (WAH-GAH-doo-goo) is the capital of Burkina Faso. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Politics of Burkina Faso Categories: Burkinese political parties | Politics stubs ...

Compaoré was born in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. He reached the rank of Captain in the Burkinabé army, and served as Minister of Justice during Thomas Sankara's presidency. Compaoré met Sankara in 1976 in a military training center in Morrocco, and since then Compaoré and Sankara were supposed to be close friends. Compaoré played a major role in the coups d'état against Saye Zerbo and Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo. Ouagadougou (WAH-GAH-doo-goo) is the capital of Burkina Faso. ... Thomas Sankara Thomas Sankara (December 21, 1949 - October 15, 1987) was a charismatic left-leaning leader in West Africa. ... The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in northwest Africa. ... A coup détat (pronounced kū dā ta), or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... Saye Zerbo (born 1932) was a President of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) from November 25, 1980 to November 7, 1982. ... Jean-Baptiste Ou draogo - President of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) from 08 November 1982 to 04 August 1983 A medical doctor, he currently operates a medical facility (Notre-Dame de la Paix) on the outskirts of Ouagadougou . ...

He became president of his country on October 15, 1987 in a bloody coup that killed Sankara, his predecessor as president. Compaoré described the killing of Sankara as an "accident". Upon taking the presidency, he reverted many of the policies of Sankara, claiming that his policy was a "rectification" of the Burkinabé revolution. October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in Leap years). ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Soon after became President he also eliminated two major revolutionary leaders, Henri Zongo and Jean-Baptiste Boukary Lingani, accused of plotting against the regime.

The accession of Compaoré to the Presidency of the Faso gave the country a political stability it had previously lacked. Compaoré gave Burkina Faso democratic institutions and increase freedom of the press. However, President Compaoré and his Presidential Guard have been implicated in the death of reporter Norbert Zongo and continued intimidation of the media in Burkina Faso, according to the international organization Reporters Without Borders. Freedom of the press (or press freedom) is the guarantee by a government of free public speech often through a state constitution for its citizens, and associations of individuals extended to members of news gathering organizations, and their published reporting. ... Norbert Zongo was the publisher of the Burkina Faso newspaper lIndépendant. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, or RSF) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to freedom of the press. ...

Compaoré was also sued for assassination by Mariam Sankara, Thomas Sankara's widow. He has proposed a "National Reconciliation" that is not widely supported by his opposition.

Thomas Sankara Thomas Sankara (December 21, 1949 - October 15, 1987) was a charismatic left-leaning leader in West Africa. ... List of Heads of State of Burkina Faso (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) Affiliations:- See Also:- Burkina Faso Heads of Government of Burkina Faso Colonial Heads of Burkina Faso (Upper Volta) Lists of Incumbents Categories: Burkina Faso | Lists of office-holders ...

External links

• Pascal Drouhaud interviews Blaise Compaoré (http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3110)
• Reporters Without Borders, Burkina Faso 2004 Annual Report (http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=10129&Valider=OK)
• IFEX: Monitoring media freedom in Burkina Faso (http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/48/)