Coup leader in Burkina Faso under pressure

As Burkinabes continue to protest against a military coup in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou, international mediators are seeking a way out of the crisis.

Negotiations between the military junta and representatives of the United Nations, the African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), France and the United States have already led to the release of the interim President Michel Kafando and two ministers who were detained on Wednesday. The whereabouts of the Prime Minister Isaac Zida, who was also detained, are unknown.

Senegalese President Macky Sall and Beninese President Thomas Yayi Boni were due to arrive in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou to try and convince the coup leader Gilbert Diendere to hand power back to civilian administration.

Burkinabes both at home and abroad fear the situation could unravel if no immediate measures are taken to restore democracy.

"We are worried, we are sad. We need stability. We need a country where people can live in peace. We are used to live in peace," Marie-Odile Bonkoungou Balima, ambassador of Burkina Faso in Germany, told DW.

Destroying civilian achievements

Burkina Faso's political crisis started on Wednesday when soldiers from the Presidential Security Regiment (RSP) interrupted a cabinet session and detained Kafando, Zida and two other ministers.

The following day Gilbert Diendire, former head of the RSP, announced he was in charge of the coup. He dissolved the transitional government and parliament, both of which were set up after President Blaise Compaore was deposed last year. Diendire, a former close aide of Compaore, has since promised to hand power back to civilian authorities.

Protests took to the streets of Ouagadougou calling for democracy to be restored. The army opened fire with live ammunition, killing several people. In an interview with DW, Oscibi Johann, an activist from the 'Le Balai Citoyen,' a youth movement which campaigned against Compaore, said he, too, was attacked during this latest protest.

"I am in a safe place now. We are well aware that it is the RSP [Regiment of Presidential Security] again. They want to destroy democracy that civilians have been establishing," said Oscibi and added "We are sad. We will draw up strategies. We will try to restore democracy."

'The coup was necessary'

Alexandre Stroh, an expert on Burkina Faso and a research associate at GIGA Institute of African Affairs in Hamburg Germany, said that he was outraged by recent events, especially as the country was preparing itself for democratic elections.

"Burkina Faso was indeed on a seemingly good way," said Stroh.

Diendire said the coup was staged because the military didn't want Burkina Faso to be destabilized by the transitional government, which he maintained was not inclusive.

Achilles Tapsoba, an official from Compaore's the Congress for Democracy and Progress, CDC party told the DW French Service that the coup was necessary before the elections.

"Our politicians are excluded. There are many irregularities, many false voter cards. They say that this election will be free and fair. But that's not true. There are also problems with justice," he said.