Revised electoral code: The life of Burkinabè is in danger, according to opposition (…)

It is in this setting that looks like a general assembly, that the deputy François Bacyé of the parliamentary group peace, justice and national reconciliation (PJRN) delivered the content of the joint declaration. According to the speakers, this exit is a kind of duty of accountability of the opposition parliamentary group on its refusal to give quitus tampering through this electoral code "which excludes, de facto, a good number of Burkinabe from the electoral consultations to coming in, especially those from the diaspora. "

These parliamentary groups first highlighted the issue of the electoral code, stating that elections are a source of stability, if they are organized in a transparent and fair manner. but also a source of instability. "Therefore, the Electoral Code, which contains the rules that govern them, must be the subject of a consensus of the voters, the political actors."

Thus, from the beginning of the debates on the question, the deputies the opposition, concerned with the strengthening of governance, initiated reflections and actions to achieve a consensual electoral code. Concrete proposals were made, on the one hand to the Head of State by the CFOP-BF (Leader of the political opposition in Burkina Faso) and on the other hand to the President of the National Assembly and to the Committee on Institutional General Affairs and Human Rights of the National Assembly, "they said.

Opposition deputies who say they see the refusal of the majority to take their comments into account, have therefore decided to not to take part in the vote of this law which divides the political class. However, they point out, the parliamentary opposition made its arguments prevail by taking part in all the debates and the examination process in the commissions. Contrary to this opinion that the tax of having played the "policy of the empty chair."

The speakers recalled that the vote of Burkinabe from abroad is based on the need to restore social justice between Burkinabe citizens residing in Burkina and non-residents (Article 1 of the Constitution which states that all Burkinabè are born free and equal).

"When we analyzed the bill that was submitted to us, we have identified grounds for concern, or even a democratic regression in relation to the political will to involve Burkinabes from outside in future polls, "they stressed, recalling that the process of Burkinabè participation in the diaspora elections has been launched since 2009.

"This vote should be effective since 2015 with the following voting documents: the CNIB, the passport and the consular card. That is to say that even the National Council of the transition, assembled by essence consensual, had maintained this document of vote ", supported, François Bacyé and his confrères.

The parliamentary opposition points out that the President of Burkina Faso has made a "strong commitment" to Burkinabes living abroad with regard to their effective participation in the political life of their country through operationalization of their vote in 2020. "There is no lack of opportunity to recall and reaffirm this commitment. It is in this sense that the Leader of the Opposition and the Presidential Majority have been invited to make proposals.

The proposals of the political opposition were sent to the Head of State by letter of 28 and 29 May 2018 ", reconstitute the leaders of the parliamentary groups for which, there is therefore a desire to reduce the effective participation of Burkinabes of the

They identify shortcomings in the revised electoral code and points of difference with the majority relate to the documents required for the vote. In fact, according to the new provisions, only the holders of the Burkinabè National Identity Card (CNIB) or the Burkinabe passport will be able to take part in the upcoming elections.

The consular card, which was included in the previous provisions, is no longer part of the required documents. "This card (consular) is an administrative document issued by authorized representatives of the Government of Burkina Faso," brandish the speakers.

For these elected representatives of the opposition, it is not the citizens who are responsible for "the reliability Of the consular card; it is not up to them to assume the consequences. "The other danger of such mention is that we expose our compatriots living abroad to difficulties.

What rights are now attached to the use of the consular card? During the police checks, can the holder of the consular card continue to display it to prove his identity and what value will the police officers attach to this document, if our government doubts its reliability? . (…).

At the quarterly meeting between ambassadors, consuls-general and honorary consuls of 20 October 2017, held in Abidjan, Ambassador Mahamadou Zongo affirmed that the consular card is biometric and secure and on the back of the consular card it is clearly stated that it stands for CNIB.

That is why we are astounded to see black and white appear in the explanatory memorandum to this bill, and I quote: '' To these concerns is added the diversity of voter identification documents, the question of reliability is accentuated with the prospect of voting Burkinabes from outside '', argues the parliamentary opposition.

View of part of the presidents of political party with from right to left De Ablassé Ouédraogo de Le Faso otherwise , Professor Mahamoudou Dicko of NAFA, Gilbert Noël Ouedraogo of ADFRDA, Zéphirin Diabré of the UPC (by

The second point of contention between the opposition and the majority resides in the places of installation of the offices of According to the new electoral code, voting operations will only take place in Embassies and Consulates, and the speakers believe that by considering the potential of the electorate in certain countries, There is reason to be concerned about the ability of diplomatic and consular representations in these countries to be able to receive them on their premises.

On the side of the timber zone (district where the opposition's institutional headquarters are located) they say that logic has been understood lately; from the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) to the adoption of the new electoral code, through the appointment of the special advisor of the President of Faso to the head of the Higher Council of Communication (CSC), the intention of the power is to be able to control the electoral operations, one convinces.



"The opposition showed patience"

The deputy Juliette Bonkoungou first notes that the fundamental law gives to all Burkinabè citizens, the right to be a voter and to be eligible before observing that the new code is an obstacle to this express requirement of the Constitution.

That is why, in his opinion, it is important for the opposition to play its role of control, guardian of legality and democracy in Burkina, by raising its voice whenever it contravenes this provision. It is up to the government, beyond all explanations, to give itself the means to apply the provisions of the Constitution.

"The President of Faso, when he took the oath, swore to remain and to enforce the Constitution ", revives Juliette Bonkoungou before confiding that the opposition has, with regard to the government, patience, in its will to preserve the peace and the stability of the country and to seek the consensus at any time.

"But if we are alone in seeking consensus and otherwise, we will reserve the right to initiate other actions as well, which we may choose not to reveal to you this morning," warned Former Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Canada

On the question of the biometric consular card, MP Moussa Zerbo reveals in a tone of revolt: "at the hearing of the government, where I was, the minister (of the territorial administration, ed) told the commission that biometrics did not suffer from any anomaly. What is it? That no one can have two identities; that's what biometrics would mean.

And we have returned the question, if today the consular biometric card is called into question, it means that it is the biometry itself that is in question, and indirectly, … our CNIB. We are worried about it. He said that he was ready even to put his hand in the fire, to say that no one could own two rooms. This means that even if you misplace your part, CNIB, as soon as you make another card, the other is automatically deactivated. So, it is the same principle for the biometric consular card.

Even better, it is written on the back of this coin that it stands for CNIB for Burkinabè in Côte d'Ivoire. '' To take place of CNIB '' means that it is their CNIB. From this moment, we do not see how this piece can be a danger for them. What we are accustomed to seeing in other tropics, it is the opposition parties who fear and shout to frauds, but today, it is the opposite, it is the power in place who is afraid . What is he hiding from us? May he have the courage to tell us!

For him, this new law is a danger. "If today, our authorities question the reliability of the CNIB, for needs (I was going to say) politicians and electoral goals, what will happen after the elections? In 2017, the ambassador gathered all the consuls in Ivory Coast and they made a writing to say, is recognized in Côte d'Ivoire as a piece for the Burkinabe, that the biometric consular card. And it is with this piece that our compatriots exercise all their rights in Ivory Coast.

But, today, if you want to put this piece in question, after the elections, what is it that will happen ? Do not we expose our compatriots? Your own country, which has handed over these pieces, is questioning them. We believe that it is not at all responsible for this power to proceed in this way, "said Zerbo MP before inviting not to mix the CENI (Independent National Electoral Commission)" in this case ".

To believe the elected, the CENI has proposed three pieces, the CNIB, the passport and the biometric consular card. "It is the government that has, unilaterally, and after various consultations with the party presidents who are there, decided to exclude the consular card, knowing full well that our compatriots can not have other parts. .

You are going to Ivory Coast with your CNIB, it is null and obsolete; you can not carry out any operation with the CNIB. Even buy a simple chip. So, why put our fellow countrymen in danger? We think that here, there is a clear desire to exclude our compatriots from the diaspora. They know for a fact that, 2020, they will not pass. There is no way for them, "says Moussa Zerbo

" It is the Burkinabè authorities who said that the biometric consular card has the same value as the CNIB "

"Yesterday (31 July, plenary, ed), the Minister, before us, received this question from me, to which he did not answer: what identifies a Burkinabe from the outside? If we meet and want to show me that you live outside, it's your consular identity card! Of course, the minister did not answer.

So, I will not add more; because, anyway, there is no more blind man than one who does not want to see and deafer than one who does not want to hear. They have a concentrated circle strategy, which we understand well. The first circle is to stifle the enlistment of Burkinabes from the outside through this suppression of the consular map (because in the law we have just modified, it existed as an enlistment).

Second concentric circle (it is, even, by surprise), they will find that many have enlisted, we will prevent them from voting, forcing them to move to come to the walls of Embassies and Consulates. I give you an example, I allowed myself to make the calculation, you can check: if only 25 000 registered in a Consulate or Embassy, ​​if each voter takes three minutes to vote, you have 104 hours for to vote. And here we have twelve hours; from 6 am to 6 pm This is the second concentric circle to stifle the vote of Burkinabes from outside, "says MP Yaya Zoungrana.

The spokesman of the political opposition in Burkina Faso, Zéphirin Diabré, he returned on the adventures of the consultations initiated by the president of Faso with his institution. '' I register in wrong; never, on these questions, was there consensus. And last time, we parted in a fishtail, staying firm on our position … ", said Mr. Diabré.

The spokesman for the opposition, Zéphirin Diabré, while abstaining from unveiling the strategies, announces that actions will be taken against this new electoral code

According to the leader, another grievance resides in the new system of enlistment. "Until then, when the election approaches, the CENI deploys people in sectors and villages and voters leave with their room and are enlisted and gives them their voter card. (…). Imagine that the government wants to suppress this way of doing things (suppress voter cards). He says that for young people who turn 18, there will no longer be a voter card.

He says that at the ONI (National Identification Office, ed), there is a file and when you go to do your CNIB, your name is there with your telephone contact. So, it is the ONI who will give each year to the CENI, the name, first name and contact of the people who are 18 years old and who can vote.

The CENI will now send a text message to these people to ask for they want to vote. If the person answers yes, right now, we send a paper to tell them where to vote. That's dangerous … ", explains in simple terms, Zéphirin Diabré, inviting everyone to imagine the risks of fraud with this approach. "This is the computer fraud they are trying to offer us and it will not pass," he agrees.

Another party leader, Gilbert Noël Ouedraogo, ADF / RDA explains the tralala to which the Burkinabes of the diaspora are now subject with this new law. "It is the Burkinabe authorities who have said that the biometric consular card has the same value as the CNIB. (…). In the new code, in relation to the platform, there is a new provision that says that those who have had their voter's card, apart from the passport and the CNIB, could keep it.

That means that there are people who registered when we had the twelve coins, they registered for example with the birth certificate, and who can continue to vote with their voter's card (obtained on the basis of this document), while to Burkinabe from abroad, they are denied the biometric consular card. Which means that we are organizing a clear and clear fraud, and the opposition will not accept, "adds the lawyer, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo. For the parliamentary opposition, with this code, it is the life of the Burkinabe who is in danger.

As a reminder, the new electoral code was adopted on Monday, July 30, 2018, without the elected representatives of the opposition who have left the hemicycle.

Oumar L. Ouédraogo

([email protected])

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