BURKINA FASO-RIGHTS: STUDENTS PAY HIGH PRICE FOR TEACHERS STRIKE

by Abdoulaye Gandema and Brahima Ouedraogo
   OUAGADOUGOU, May 13 (IPS) -- Young Emile Zigani and Blaise
Sidiani were not among the many people in this West African country
who on May 10 celebrated Eid-ul-Azha, one of the most important
festivals for the world's Muslims.
   They were shot dead on the eve of the festival when the security
forces fired on demonstrating students in the town of Garango, 200
kilometers southeast of the capital.
   Zigani was in his first year at high school. Sidiani was a third
grader. They and thousands of other students throughout Burkina
Faso had been protesting against an on-going work-to-rule by their
teachers.
   Their death increases the toll of violence that began in
February, when the teachers began their protest to force the
government to reintroduce housing allowances which were scrapped
some time ago, and increase by 125 percent a stipend granted to
those who work far from home.
   According to sources close to the Burkinabe Movement for Human
Rights and the Rights of Peoples (MBDHP), another student died in
April in Manga, a town 100 kilometers southeast of Ouagadougou,
after he was beaten by gendarmes.
   The MBDHP has called on the authorities to "carry out an
investigation to identify the administrative and military officials
who gave the order to shoot at the students and those who fired on
the shots that killed Zigani and Sidiani.
   It added that they should be severely punished "so as to end the
criminal acts committed against the youth of our country."
   The organization has repeatedly complained that using the army
as law enforcers, as often happens here, is something that should
not occur in a state governed by the rule of law.
   Since the start of the teachers' protest, the security forces
have beaten, tortured and shot at student demonstrators in the
capital and many other towns.
   The students say they are made to pay the price of the
authorities' foot-dragging on the demands of the teachers, who,
since February, have been giving classes as usual but refusing to
mark classwork and examination papers.
   The government, whose offer of a 75 percent increase in the
distance allowance was rejected by the teachers, threatened to take
unspecified action if they did not end their protest by Apr. 30.
   The ultimatum has had no effect except to strengthen the
teachers' resolve. "We cannot stop our action because of threats,"
said Auguste Kiema, secretary-general of the National Union of
Education and Research Workers (SYNTER), although he added that
his organization was "open to dialogue."
   But the students have been becoming increasingly restive as the
days tick by to junior high and baccalaureat examinations, due in
June.
   Secondary and Higher Education Minister Melegue Traore told IPS
that, despite the teachers' boycott, the examinations will be held.
"We have strategies which we do not want to disclose for the
moment," he added.
   Neither the government nor the teachers appear prepared to give
in.
   The Education Ministry seems convinced that the teachers will
eventually knuckle down, especially since, according to Traore,
"some strikers have already broken ranks with the movement and have
begun to mark class papers."
   However, a National Strike Committee (CNG) set up by the
teachers said in a communique on May 11 that it "called on all
teachers to mobilize and remain calm."
   Teachers' strikes have had varying fortunes in this former
French colony.
    In 1980, when school masters and mistresses walked off their
jobs for 55 days, that sparked a string of events that led to the
overthrow of the government of Gen. Sangoule Lamizana by army
colonel Saye Zerbo.
   But a similar strike in 1984 resulted in the dismissal of 600
teachers by the then ruling National Revolutionary Council.