De vil med sikkerhed kræve hans afgang, men Diendere vil læse det hele med småt først i det omtumlede Sahel-land, som alene siden 2012 har modtaget en milliard kroner i dansk i bistand.
Burkina Faso’s coup leader has defied an ultimatum to step down, saying his forces will retaliate if attacked, BBC online reports Tuesday.
Diendere seized power last week with the backing of the presidential guard, but the army has remained loyal to the deposed government.
Its troops have entered the capital, vowing to retake it.
Army chief of staff Pingrenoma Zagre said, that he was awaiting “instructions” from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) regional body, which had put together a peace plan for the former French colony.
Eleven regional leaders are holding emergency talks in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, to discuss it.
Many people in the capital, however, feel betrayed by Ecowas’ peace plan, which would give Diendere and his troops full amnesty, and allow candidates of former ruler Blaise Compaore to run for presidency in elections to be held by the end of November.
Residents say the two-meter tall coup-leader, agred 54-55, has blood on his hands, and he and the presidential guards do not deserve amnesty.
Not only because of the killing of at least ten people during the coup and many more wounded, but also because Diendéré is suspected of having been directly involved in the 1987 coup that resulted in the death of Thomas Sankara and installed Blaise Compaore in power.
Diendere staged the recent 16. September coup after opposing moves to integrate the presidential guard into the army, notes BBC online.
He said Monday, thet he will step aside once regional leaders endorse the peace plan at their summit. He has released the interim president and the prime minister, following talks brokered by mediators.
Gilbert Diendere was a close ally of Blaise Compaore, who was forced from the presidency after a popular uprising last autumn.
In an interview with BBC Afrique, the general apologised to the nation for staging a coup, saying it was “the least we could do”.
“Ready to surrender? We are not there yet… We wish to continue the discussions and we say to all that we are ready to implement Ecowas’ decisions,” said Diendere, who once served as chief of staff to Mr Compaore.
