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Thomas Sankara
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Authorities in
Burkina Faso began exhuming the remains of former president Thomas Sankara on
Monday in a bid to establish responsibility for a murder that has dogged the
West African nation since 1987.
Sankara's relatives have for years pressed for his
body to be tested, saying they suspect it may not be that of the former
president, who died in a coup that brought his former ally Blaise Compaoré to
power.
Reuters reports:
Witnesses at the Daghnoen cemetery on the outskirts of
the capital Ouagadougou said the exhumation of Sankara's body and those of 12
colleagues had begun with the families of the victims and lawyers present.
Compaoré faced questions about Sankara's death
throughout his presidency but attempts to mount a judicial investigation
stalled.
Compaoré fled after a popular uprising against his
rule in October last year and was replaced by an interim government led by
Michel Kafando who promised to authorize an exhumation.
Sankara took power in a coup in 1983 and quickly
established a reputation as a visionary nationalist and pan-Africanist, known
for his charisma and trademark military red beret.
He nationalized land and mineral wealth, moved to
improve health and education in the impoverished country, pressed for debt
reduction, promoted women into leadership and changed the country's name from
Upper Volta.
Many African intellectuals viewed him as a model, not
least because he appeared to eschew the luxury enjoyed by fellow African
leaders.
Sankara's
sons Philippé and Augusté have provided DNA samples so experts can confirm
whether the remains in the tomb are his. Any definitive attempt at
identification may take weeks, experts said.
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