To recap:
On February 22nd, students in Koudougou, a town 100km northwest of Ouaga, started protesting after the death of a jailed student. During the protests four people were killed and more were injured (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/world/africa/25briefs-Burkina.html). As a result of this, students burned down government buildings in Koudougou and called for nationwide strikes. On February 28th the Burkina government closed school indefinitely and the police chief and governor of Koudougou were relived of their duties (http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=13019318). In early March, students all over the country began protesting and burning police stations and government property (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-09/burkina-faso-students-protest-deaths-police-rights-group-says.html).
Mid March brought around the first military protests, as soldiers in Ouaga left their barracks and began shooting into the air in protest of a recent arrest of their colleague (http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/burkina-govt-calls-for-calm-after-overnight-gunfire). Everything calmed down for a few days until unrest began in Fada, a town about 250km East of Ouagadougou. Soldiers were again protesting over the arrest of a colleague and blocked the entrance to Fada (http://af.reuters.com/article/idAFJOE72R0LR20110328). Subsequently, soldiers from Fada left the town and went to neighboring towns to commandeer vehicles and rally support and arms. After a few tense days, the protests in Fada seemed to calm down.
Around the middle of March, the presidential guard in Ouaga mutinied over a pay dispute (http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-04-15/burkina-s-faso-s-presidential-guard-mutinies-in-capital.html). The military protests then spread to other towns in Burkina Faso (http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/04/18/world-burkina-faso-mutiny.html). The President gave the presidential guard more pay and then dissolved the government and the problems seemed to be solved for the time being http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/16/world/africa/16burkina.html).
At the end of May, right at the end of the school year, teachers began striking, wanting more pay. Students then began striking as well, to help the teacher's cause (http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/04/18/world-burkina-faso-mutiny.html). Then, last Monday, military protests began again around the country over a pay dispute. Tuesday, the military in Bobo, the second biggest city in Burkina, left the second largest base in country, started shooting in the air and looting shops. On Wednesday, shopkeepers, fed up with the looting and rioting, tried to get onto military base, but to no avail. They burned mayor's office and were then dispersed. Thursday all was calm in morning until around 2pm, when the military left their barracks again and started rioting in centre-ville, comandeering cars, and shooting in air. Over Thursday night, the Presidental Guard made its way to Bobo and Friday morning attacked the military base where 57 were arrested, 7 killed, 20 injured (http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE75403V20110605). Things have been calm since Friday.
I hope none of this scares you back home. I have seen no disturbances in my village and would not know any of this was going on except for Peace Corps messages and Burkinabe gossip while listening to the radio. So please do not worry. I feel completely safe. :)
Now, in terms of my life, school is finished!...well almost. I have calculated all of my students' grades and filled out their report cards. All that is left is the final teachers meeting. So I am basically done with my primary assignment for Peace Corps! Camp GLOW has been moved to August, due to the extension of the school year and everything that has been going on countrywide. So this means that I will be in Burkina at least until September. However, I am thinking about doing a third year (gasp). I'm in the process of finding a job in the health sector in Kaya, my regional capital. I really want electricity and fan(s) if I'm going to be staying in Burkina. So my life in up in the air at the moment. But since school is done, I now have time to go to Kaya during the work week to job search. yay!
However, things that are for sure:
1. My sister, Rebecca, is here visiting, but is leaving tonight :(
2. I'm climbing Kilimanjaro in July as my COS (close of service) trip, despite the fact that I am not COSing in July.
3. It is hot season and it it hot.
4. I am still accepting packages, but to there has been a change in the address
New address:
Emma Prasher, PCV
s/c Corps de la Paix
B.P. 157
Kaya, Burkina Faso
5. I miss everyone at home and hope you're all enjoying the beginning of summer!
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