The life, legacy & assassination of an African revolutionary - Lisa Janae Bacon

Translator: Zahra Wijaya Reviewer: Reno Kanti Riananda

In 1972, Thomas Sankara was swept into a revolution

Pada tahun 1972, Thomas Sankara terlibat dalam revolusi

for a country not his own.

di negara yang bukan tanah airnya.

Hailing from the West African nation of Burkina Faso—

Berasal dari negara di Afrika Barat, Burkina Faso—

dahulu dikenal sebagai Volta Hulu—

then known as Upper Volta—

the 22-year-old soldier had travelled to Madagascar

prajurit berusia 22 tahun itu merantau ke Madagascar

to study at their military academy.

untuk belajar di akademi militer.

But upon arriving, he found a nation in conflict.

Namun setiba di sana, beliau menemukan negara sedang dalam konflik.

Local revolutionaries sought to wrest control of Madagascar

Pejuang revolusi setempat ingin memerdekakan Madagascar

from France’s lingering colonial rule.

dari pemerintahan kolonial Prancis.

These protestors inspired Sankara

Para pengunjuk rasa ini menginspirasi Sankara

to read works by socialist leaders like Karl Marx

untuk membaca karya para pemimpin sosialis seperti Karl Marx

and seek wisdom from military strategy.

dan menggali ilmu dari strategi militer.

When he returned to Upper Volta in 1973,

Saat beliau kembali ke Volta Hulu pada tahun 1973,

Sankara was determined to free his country from its colonial legacy.

Sankara bertekad untuk membebaskan negaranya dari kolonialisme.

Born in 1949,

Lahir pada tahun 1949,

Sankara was raised in a relatively privileged household

Sankara dibesarkan di rumah tangga yang berkecukupan

as the third of ten children.

sebagai anak ketiga dari sepuluh anak.

His parents wanted him to be a priest, but like many of his peers,

Orangtuanya menginginkan Sankara menjadi pastor, namun seperti banyak temannya,

Sankara saw the military as the perfect institution

Sankara memandang militer sebagai institusi yang tepat

to rid Upper Volta of corruption.

untuk membebaskan Volta Hulu dari korupsi.

After returning from Madagascar,

Setelah pulang dari Madagascar,

he became famous for his charisma and transparent oratorial style—

beliau menjadi terkenal karena karisma dan gaya pidato yang transparan—

but he was less popular with the reigning government.

tetapi membuat pemerintah saat itu cukup berang.

Led by President Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo,

Dipimpin oleh Presiden Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo,

this administration came to power in the 3rd consecutive coup d’état

pemerintahan ini mulai berkuasa setelah kudeta ke-3

in Upper Volta’s recent history.

dalam sejarah Volta Hulu.

The administration’s policies were a far cry

Kebijakan pemerintahannya sangat jauh

from the sweeping changes Sankara proposed,

dari perubahan luas yang diusulkan oleh Sankara,

but, by 1981, Sankara’s popularity won out,

tetapi pada tahun 1981, ketenaran Sankara unggul

earning him a role in Ouédraogo’s government.

membuatnya mendapatkan kursi di pemerintahan Ouédraogo.

Nicknamed “Africa’s Che Guevara," Sankara rapidly rose through the ranks,

Dijuluki "Che Guevara dari Afrika", Sankara naik pangkat dengan cepat,

and within two years, he was appointed Prime Minister.

dan dua tahun kemudian ditunjuk menjadi Perdana Menteri.

In his new role, he delivered rallying speeches

Dalam peran barunya, Sankara menyampaikan pidato persatuan

to impoverished communities, women, and young people.

kepada komunitas miskin, wanita, dan pemuda.

He even tried to persuade other governments to form alliances

Sankara bahkan mencoba membujuk pemerintahan lain untuk bersekutu

based on their shared colonial legacy.

sebagai sesama korban penjajahan.

But Ouédraogo and his advisors felt threatened by Sankara’s new position.

Namun Ouédraogo dan penasihatnya merasa terancam dengan posisi Sankara.

They thought his communist beliefs would harm alliances with capitalist countries,

Paham komunisnya dianggap dapat merusak aliansi dengan negara kapitalis,

and just months after becoming Prime Minister,

dan hanya setelah beberapa bulan menjadi Perdana Menteri,

pemerintahan Ouédraogo memecat Sankara

Ouédraogo’s administration forced Sankara from the job

and placed him on house arrest.

dan menjadikannya tahanan rumah.

Little did the President know

Yang tak disadari sang Presiden,

this act would fuel Upper Volta’s 4th coup d’état in 17 years.

tindakan ini akan memicu kudeta ke-4 Volta Hulu setelah 17 tahun.

Civilian protests ensued around the capital,

Protes warga sipil terjadi di sekitar ibukota,

dan pemerintahan terhenti

and the government ground to a halt

while Sankara tried to negotiate a peaceful transition.

sementara Sankara mencoba menegosiasi transisi yang damai.

During this time, Blaise Compaoré,

Pada masa ini, Blaise Compaoré,

Sankara’s friend and fellow former soldier,

teman Sankara dan sesama mantan prajurit,

foiled another coup that included an attempt on Sankara’s life.

menggagalkan kudeta lain yang mencoba membunuh Sankara.

Eventually, Ouédraogo resigned without further violence,

Akhirnya, Ouédraogo mengundurkan diri tanpa kekerasan,

and on August 4, 1983, Thomas Sankara became the new President of Upper Volta.

dan pada tanggal 4 Agustus 1983, Thomas Sankara menjadi Presiden Volta Hulu.

Finally in charge, Sankara launched an ambitious program

Setelah mendapat kekuasaan, Sankara meluncurkan program ambisius

for social and economic change.

untuk mendorong perubahan sosial dan ekonomi.

As one of his first agenda items, he renamed the country

Salah satu agenda pertamanya adalah mengganti nama negara

from its French colonial title "Upper Volta" to "Burkina Faso,"

dari nama dari masa penjajahan Prancis, "Volta Hulu" menjadi "Burkina Faso,"

which translates to “Land of Upright Men."

yang berarti "Negara Orang Jujur."

Over the next four years he established a nation-wide literacy campaign,

Selama empat tahun setelahnya, Sankara mendirikan kampanye literasi nasional,

ordered the planting of over 10 million trees,

menanam 10 juta pohon,

and composed a new national anthem—

dan menyusun lagu kebangsaan baru—

all while cutting down inflated government employee salaries.

semua dilakukan bersamaan dengan pengurangan gaji pegawai negeri.

But perhaps the most unique element of Sankara’s revolution

Tetapi mungkin unsur terunik dari revolusi Sankara

was his dedication to gender equality.

adalah dedikasinya terhadap kesetaraan gender.

He cultivated a movement for women’s liberation,

Sankara merancang pergerakan untuk memerdekakan wanita,

outlawing forced marriages, polygamy and genital mutilation.

melarang pernikahan paksa, poligami dan mutilasi alat kelamin.

He was the first African leader to appoint women to key political positions

Sankara menjadi pemimpin Afrika pertama yang melantik wanita dalam pemerintahan

and actively recruit them to the military.

dan secara aktif merekrut wanita dalam jajaran militer.

However, Sankara’s socialist policies were met with much resistance.

Namun kebijakan sosialis Sankara mendapat banyak perlawanan.

Many students and elites believed his economic plans

Para pelajar dan kaum elit yakin bahwa rencana ekonomi Sankara

would alienate Burkina Faso from its capitalist peers.

akan mengucilkan Burkina Faso dari negara lain yang kapitalis.

His crackdown on the misuse of public funds

Tindakan kerasnya dalam melawan penyalahgunaan uang rakyat

turned government officials against him as well.

juga membuatnya dibenci oleh pejabat pemerintah.

After four years, what began as an empowering revolution

Setelah empat tahun, revolusi yang semula bertujuan memberdayakan

had isolated many influential Burkinabes.

berbalik mengucilkan rakyat Burkina Faso yang berpengaruh.

But Sankara was not ready to yield his power.

Tetapi Sankara belum siap menyerahkan kekuasaannya.

He executed increasingly authoritarian actions,

Sankara melakukan tindakan yang kian otoriter,

including banning trade unions and the free press.

termasuk melarang serikat buruh dan kebebasan pers.

Eventually, his autocratic tendencies

Alhasil, kecenderungan otoriternya

turned even his closest friends against him.

bahkan membuat sahabat terdekatnya menentang Sankara.

On October 15, 1987,

Pada tanggal 15 Oktober 1987,

Sankara was conducting a meeting when a group of assailants

Sankara sedang memimpin rapat saat sekelompok pemberontak

swarmed his headquarters.

menyerang markasnya.

Sankara was assassinated in the attack,

Sankara terbunuh dalam serangan tersebut,

and many believe the raid was ordered by his friend Blaise Compaoré.

yang diyakini diperintahkan oleh Blaise Compaoré, sahabat Sankara.

Though his legacy is complicated,

Meskipun peninggalannya cukup rumit,

many of Sankara’s policies have proven themselves to be ahead of their time.

banyak kebijakan Sankara terbukti lebih maju dari zamannya.

In the past decade,

Selama dekade terakhir ini,

Burkinabe youth have celebrated Sankara’s political philosophy,

pemuda Burkina Faso mengagumi filsafat politis Sankara,

and nearby countries like Ghana have even adopted Sankara’s economic models.

dan negara tetangga seperti Ghana bahkan menggunakan model ekonominya.

On March 2, 2019 a statue of Sankara was erected in Burkina Faso’s capital,

Pada tanggal 2 Maret 2019, patung Sankara didirikan di ibukota Burkina Faso,

establishing his place as an icon of revolution for his country

mengukuhkan peranannya sebagai tokoh revolusi di negaranya

and throughout the world.

dan di seluruh dunia.