The What: Students in Burkina Faso are striking despite government orders to return to school.
Why? After protests in the northern city of Koudougou last month a student was killed. While the government maintains the student died of meningitis, protestors argue he was killed by police. There are conflicting reports that suggest a police officer and four additional students have been killed.
The Current Stuff: Yesterday protests in several cities were taken to new levels. In Yako students set fire to the local police station releasing more than a dozen inmates. Similar protests took place in three other Northern cities of Burkina. In Ouagadougou the public library was set ablaze and nothing remains. At least one government official has lost their job due to the way issues in Koudougou were handled.
The hope: A peaceful resolution resulting in students returning to school. The longer schools are closed the less likely students will be able to finish this school year - and most will be forced to repeat next year.
You're Invited: You're invited to stay informed! And pray through this news.
Check out news from News 24 and The Washington Post or the New York Times
Picture from here
***UPDATE March 7, 15:47
According to Fasozine: Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 8) there is a student protest in Ouagadougou.
Police visited families of the deceased and injured in Koudougou yesterday afternoon. Initial reports are that calm has begun to return to the region where civil unrest has been present for the past two weeks. This via AfricaTime News
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