Burkina Faso: From Komandougou to Fada N’Gourma, an IDP family finds their way

Just after 7am on Friday, January 26, 2024, in Komandougou, about 10km from Fada N’Gourma, Charles (not his real name) was busy feeding his chicken coop and livestock. After completing this task, he sat in a chair and chatted with his wife, who was sorting through bundles of stored wood. He turned on his small radio and also struggled to listen to the Fada radio frequency. At this time of year, Charles doesn’t have much to do except take care of his animals or go into town to sell the few bags of food he has. At around 11am that day, he and his eldest son went to the karaoke bar for a drink and a chat. Their day went well and the atmosphere was good.

“Before leaving the house, there were signs that the day would be tough, but I was far from imagining how terrible it would be to see people die,” Charles said in Gumanchima. When he returned home in the evening, the sound of gunfire and screaming caused panic. Realizing the risk, the family soon understood that it was a terrorist attack. Before the terrorists could reach their area, they took their wives, children and pregnant daughter-in-law and rode on two motorcycles to Fada. The events took place a few hours after sunset. On the way, they met acquaintances and neighbors who did everything they could to save themselves. In the stampede, his daughter-in-law sprained her ankle and suffered burns from the motorcycle exhaust. But there is no way, you have to move forward to a safe area. The family drove about twenty minutes to Fada in District 6, where they have a temporary shelter.

After Komandugu…

On Saturday, January 27, 2024, Charles and his family did not sleep a wink despite their exhaustion. The scenes, the noises and the fire played over and over in their minds. “Unfortunately, the brain remembers bad memories more easily than good ones. Not a day goes by that I do not think of our escape from Komandougou. On the morning of our arrival, they were able to treat my daughter-in-law who was injured during the escape. She was in her third trimester of pregnancy and luckily was not affected by this tragedy. My family and I are very lucky because they killed four people and kidnapped seven. Since we came here, our lives have been saved, but we have lost our way. Especially my wife, who has been sick since we arrived, although she was in good health,” he said with a sigh.

With their savings and the support of their oldest son, who lives with them in Fada, the family built a two-room house where they manage to sleep. Some time after their arrival, his sons found some small jobs, but he does not yet know what else to do besides agriculture and animal husbandry: “In Komandougou, I had my fields and my livestock. But here I do not have the space and resources to carry out these activities. The few animals that my sons brought here later did not survive because there was nothing to eat. I also learned that the remaining animals we had were taken away by criminals.”

This winter, the sixty-year-old man risked his labor to farm for others in exchange for a little money. But at present, he has not found any offers. It must be pointed out that even though Fada N’Gourma is a big city, the agricultural system is still family-based and mechanical. Therefore, every day, the head of the family who makes a living from farming usually stays at home with his wife, daughter-in-law and grandson who will be born in a few months. “When we arrived, we went to social action to register as internally displaced persons. Last month, we received food, utensils and clothes from OCADES Caritas.”

Also read: Food crisis in Tapoa: IDPs call for help

A life filled with distrust and uncertainty

Charles’ wife lost friends and neighbours on the day of the first attack. She only found out about it a few days after arriving in Fada. The mother of six, besides doing household chores, assists her husband in breeding and agricultural work. “Since I arrived, I have not been able to sleep and have been very sick. I feel worried and sad knowing that we will not be farming this year. This is how we feed ourselves, but for now it is the humanitarian aid that keeps us alive.” According to her, there are many displaced people in their community and at some point, the host family may get tired of housing them. These incidents have also made her very paranoid and she jumps at the slightest noise. When asked if the family plans to return home once peace is restored, the head of the family and his wife expressed reservations. “The damage is too great and it will be hard to go back peacefully even if I miss it,” said Ms. B.

Komandugu is now inaccessible

Komandougou, a village just 10 kilometres from Fada N’Gourma, is now inaccessible to residents. This is what Charles did with us during our discussion. There would be a series of riots in the village. “The day they came to commit the first crime was the day my family and I fled. The second time, they came back to kill people and burn the market. The third time these people came they killed ten people,” he said, adding that many people fled. Last month, his sons, who wanted to cultivate the land, tried to go to the fields to sow because the distance was not far, but they learned that one person had died and another was injured for coming to cultivate the land. “Since I escaped death, I am no longer sent there,” he added. According to testimonies collected on the spot in Fada, the Fada-Bogand axis is not very safe. In addition, transport companies and minibuses no longer go there.

The number of IDPs in the eastern region accounts for 10.7% of the total number of IDPs Burkina Faso, 31 March 2023. The town of Fada N’Gourma is the main destination for people who have survived attacks or have been displaced by terrorists. These people often have family members in Fada and are welcomed and accommodated. However, despite the welcome and material support they receive, these displaced people are left with aftereffects that do not disappear despite the passage of time.

Farida Tiobiano

Lefaso.com