CHAPTER TWO: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND CURRENT CHALLENGES _____________________________________________________________________ country and its people that spoke of its ‘brave and honest men’ and to make some progress in social terms. These, then, became the achievements of the Burkina Faso people during this period. In addition, certain ideals were realised, such as breaking with the sort of ‘republican chaos’ that had prevailed, moving away from the image of a poor state, and ending the submissiveness that had hitherto characterised its relations with the former colonial power. All of this gave the people of Burkina Faso a sense of pride and excitement with regard to the momentum created by the revolutionary period. However, several shifts occurred, particularly as regards the matter of human rights – shifts that ended with the bloody events of 15 October 1987. 88. The advent of the Popular Front in October 1987 ushered in the period of democratic renaissance, which was marked by the easing of social tension, by the return of individual liberties, by national reconciliation and by the awakening of democracy. Various measures (such as administrative rehabilitation, a review of the trials of popular courts during the revolution, compensation for the victims of wrongful dismissal and political violence, the reinstatement of dismissed workers, and the proclamation of a National Day of Forgiveness) were taken to right the wrongs perpetrated by all regimes that had come to power in Burkina Faso since 1960. The effective implementation of these measures contributed to the easing of political tension, to the improvement of the economic environment, and to the strengthening of social peace and national cohesion. To avoid instability fed by social crises, certain actions were initiated with a view to upgrading human capital (by promoting education, health and employment), broadening the opportunities for wealth creation, modernising the economic infrastructure and services, and promoting social justice. 2.2 The current momentum and its constraints 89. Burkina Faso is a Sahelian country located in the heart of West Africa, whose reconstituted existence dates back only 60 years. With a population of 13,730,000 inhabitants spread over an area of 274,122km2, Burkina Faso has a number of important characteristics that should be highlighted as factors that are likely to permanently influence the issue of developing an emerging Burkina Faso by the year 2025. Movement towards this horizon in the context of regional integration and the process of globalisation should take into account a number of multifaceted constraints consisting of stakes and challenges. 90. These constraints and stakes can be grouped into categories according to the thematic issues dealt with in the present report. 2.3 Political constraints and stakes 91. One of the major issues in this regard is the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law. Analyses by the CRM show that the efforts and progress made 55