restless

There have been some demonstrations and problems lately

Partly students, following the suspicious death in police custody of a student

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/0316/Will-Burkina-Faso-s-protests-catch-fire-like-Egypt-Tunisia

then on Tuesday night the military went on a bit of a spree

http://www.africasia.com/services/news_africa/article.php?ID=CNG.b6604c40c57ff2dcf34390e9f84b9f96.561

I woke up in the night hearing banging noises, went for a pee, and then back to bed – didn’t realise it was shooting (why would it be?)

Yesterday the embassy was closed in the afternoon (as were all the others) and shops etc in the centre were closed as there were indicators/rumours of more demonstrations and a curfew.

There is a general air of dissatisfaction at the moment, which is grouped together under “la-vie-cher” life is expensive – basically what was last year a living wage, no longer is – as basics such as cooking oil, rice, and two-stroke petrol for motos have all increased in price. No-one thinks that things will take on a revolutionary turn as in Northern Africa, but who knows? However, looking back at the recent history of BF, protests turn heated every 3 years or so, but sparked off by different causes. Perhaps its just part of a cycle.

For the francophones there are reports here http://www.lefaso.net/ and more interesting are the comments.