Archive for the 'Guinea' Category

A victory for the people of Guinea

Published by plover on March 4, 2007 in Guinea. 1 Comment

On February 27, Lansana Kouyate, one of four candidates acceptible to the unions of Guinea, was appointed Prime Minister. Kouyate was formerly a UN ambassador from Guinea and was Under General Secretary at the UN 1994-97; prior to his new appointment as PM, he held the office of executive secretary of the West African economic community ECOWAS.

From the UN IRIN news service:

“I welcome this appointment favourably,” Kouyate told IRIN by telephone from Côte d’Ivoire on Tuesday morning before leaving for Conakry. “It is a heavy burden that we will carry together to lift Guinea out of the situation it currently finds itself in.”

On that day, the unions also ended the general strike that had been undertaken to pressure Guinean President Lansana Conté to appoint a consensus prime minister. Continue reading ‘A victory for the people of Guinea’

“buried … very fast, without any honor”

Published by plover on February 18, 2007 in Guinea. 3 Comments

For most of the past week, Guinea has maintained a military-enforced curfew with people only allowed out between noon and 6pm. In Guinea’s capital, Conakry, soldiers drive around the city in their jeeps firing their weapons to warn people to stay in their homes. This is always described as “firing into the air”, but there are several reported incidents where “into the air” has proven to be a target beyond the marksmanship of the soldiers and their fire has hit people through the walls of their homes.

One such was seven-year-old Aicha Diallo who was hit in the head while lying in bed.

Aboubacar Diallo, Aicha’s uncle, gave the following statement to IRIN, the UN agency for humanitarian news: Continue reading ‘“buried … very fast, without any honor”’

Hommage à la Guinée

Published by plover on February 15, 2007 in Guinea. 2 Comments

Changement! by Insoumis Sigui

A rap video released a couple of days ago, includes footage of demonstrations in Guinea and pretty graphic photographs. The lyrics are in French and I can’t really make them out other than that they are protesting Conté’s rule, but I’ve translated the opening messages below the fold. (Plus there’s another video.)

Continue reading ‘Hommage à la Guinée’

À Votre Tour De Vous Sacrifier

Published by plover on February 14, 2007 in Guinea. 1 Comment

I found this manifesto posted to a usenet group about Guinea. It was, of course, posted in French. The translation below the fold is mine, and is probably inaccurate in places — both because my French is not terrific and because the writing is a bit rough. There are some clear spelling and punctuation errors in the original. I don’t know whether the apparent grammatical oddities are errors or just dialect. The phrases in brackets are the ones I’m least sure of. Any suggestions for correcting the translation are appreciated.

Continue reading ‘À Votre Tour De Vous Sacrifier’

Dictators trustworthy as ever – renewed violence in Guinea

Published by plover on February 12, 2007 in Guinea. 5 Comments

Amid riots and military reprisals, union leaders in Guinea (West Africa) are now demanding that the country’s dictator, President Lansana Conte, step down after failing to keep his word in the agreement which ended last month’s strike.

The strike has been renewed; there have been armed gangs in the streets; offices and villas have been sacked; military troops have fired into crowds. Conte has declared what I’ve seen variously called a “state of emergency”, “martial law”, and a “state of siege”. According to the BBC, “[u]nder Guinean law, a state of emergency prohibits all public gatherings and imposes a strict curfew, while giving the military expanded powers.”

At least 27 and possibly close to 100 people may have already been killed in the renewed violence.

Those unacquainted with Guinea are invited to look here and here (note: loads video).

More background on last month’s strike is here and here. (And here on Three Bulls!)

Continue reading ‘Dictators trustworthy as ever – renewed violence in Guinea’

“It is God who gives power” – Demonstrators killed in Guinea

Published by plover on January 25, 2007 in Guinea. 15 Comments

Also posted to dKos and MyLeftWing.

[Updated with my friend's report.]

For the past two weeks, there has been a general strike in Guinea (West Africa). Thousands of union and grassroots marchers have been protesting throughout the country. Government forces have killed at least 59 people and injured over 250.

This is the third strike in a year marked by rapid inflation and rampant corruption in the country. While most of the country is shut down, those merchants still doing business have doubled the price of staple foods.

President Lansana Conte has been in office since 1984. There have been elections but their validity has been contested.

On Saturday, in a speech calling for calm Conte said:

Those who want power must wait their turn. It is God who gives power and when he gives it to someone, everyone must stand behind him.

On Wednesday, Conte agreed to appoint a new prime minister. However, according to Reuters:

Union leaders have said they will not call an end to their action until … President Conte [agrees to] hand over all his powers to a prime minister acceptable to the unions.

Continue reading ‘“It is God who gives power” – Demonstrators killed in Guinea’