MINI-THREAD on IDPs/ #BurkinaFaso's municipal elections

As BF looks ahead to the upcoming municipal elections (ostensibly scheduled for May 2021, assuming no revisions to the electoral code), 3 electoral violence concerns pervade due to the rapid increase of IDPs in 2020. https://twitter.com/J_LuengoCabrera/status/1354777017212923905

1- In Sanmatenga––the region with the highest # of IDPs––political parties (particularly MPP) are concerned that the influx of new voters displaced by violence in Soum will vote against their municipal candidates due to frustration with mismanagement of the security crisis.

In Kaya in particular, this could lead to an escalation of threats and violence perpetrated against IDPs to force them to return to their home communities to vote.

2- Any manipulation, intimidation, or violence against IDPs for political purposes will be very hush-hush. The IDP issue is extremely sensitive+was publicly avoided during the 2020 présidentielle/législatives. (Eg. behind the scenes, parties gave bags of rice to IDPs in Bouroum)

3- Pervasive attacks from violent extremist groups will continue to depress voter turnout. The gamut of drivers run from voter registration delays in IDP-heavy provinces in August 2020 to apathetic aversion to participating in elections outside of one's municipality of origin.

Overall, understaffed decentralized electoral management bodies at the provincial and communal level will be hard-pressed to manage polling station security while simultaneously providing for an influx in voters (esp. in Soum, Séno, and Sanmatenga).