News Analysis: Burkina Faso president reinstated, coup leader offers apology

Burkina Faso's Transition President Michel Kafando who had been dismissed from his office by soldiers on Sept. 17, was on Wednesday reinstated to the position by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an official source said.

In his speech, Kafando assured ECOWAS leaders and all other political actors that organization of democratic elections remains a "priority" for his government.

However, the president announced that the presidential and legislative elections which were initially scheduled to be held on Oct. 11, will be postponed for a few weeks.

Members of his government and those of the interim parliament were equally reinstated by the regional community.

Speaking on behalf of ECOWAS, Benin's President Boni Yayi appealed for "inclusive, transparent and fair elections."

During the ceremony to reinstate Kafando, the coup leader Gen. Gilbert Diendere admitted that "a serious mistake was committed during the failed coup."

"The coup was a serious mistake because today when we are talking about democracy, we should not be engaging in such actions," said Diendere, a confidant of Burkina Faso's ex-president Blaise Compaore.

"We have all seen what has happened, we understood that people were not in support and that is why we simply abandoned it. I believe we have learnt our lessons," he reiterated.

"Personally, I am not afraid. I will continue with my responsibilities. I will not deny that there were no deaths during these events and I will eventually respond to any question that will be posed to me," the coup leader said.

"Those were human lives that were lost, I acknowledge," he affirmed.

About ten people lost their lives and 100 others were injured during a repression by the putschists against those who were protesting on the streets against the coup, with less than a month before the general elections.

The crisis began on Sept. 16 when soldiers from the Presidential Security Regiment (RSP), a former presidential guard for Compaore, arrested Kafando and all members of his government.

After the RSP soldiers announced they had carried out a coup, ECOWAS intervened by sending to Ouagadougou Senegal's President Macky Sall and his Beninese counterpart.

Speaking immediately after Kafando's restoration, veteran opposition leader Me Benewende Sankara said "active resistance will continue until RSP is dissolved."

Sankara who leads the Union for Renaissance/Socialist Party, said his supporters will remain "vigilant" and "mobilized" behind the legitimate transition authorities. Endit