Anti Government Riots in Guinea

The West African country Guinea is the scene of an anti government demonstration dissolved by the government of Captain Mousa Dadis Camara. The demonstrators were protesting the decision of Captain Camara to stand for President in the January 2010 elections.

Many of the demonstrators also held placcards which stated "Army out of power".The response of the government was to use tear gas, batons, and live ammunition with the result of 58 bodies being presented to the hospital. 

At the time of this report, human rights groups and members of the Guinean Opposition reported that the death toll from the protest [in which 50,000 people participated] is close to 130. The World Community has condemned the recent violence in Guinea.

According to the Guinean Organization for the Defence of Human Rights, the death toll is at 157 after soldiers fired at the demonstrators. There have been reports of rape as well. The situation will continue to be monitored.

In order to understand the reality of Guinea, the country was governed by Ahmed Sekou Toure from 1958 to 1984. Ahmed Sekou Toure was the African leader who suggested that he would "prefer poverty in freedom to riches in slavery".

The rule of Toure was marked by attempts at reform and progress but the price to be paid was in the form of a socialist and revolutionary direction. Guinea also suffered human rights violations with people killed, imprisoned, or exiled for opposing his rule. Guinea experienced a military coup shortly after the death of Ahmed Sekou Toure [in the Cleveland Clinic] in 1984.

The next president Lansana Conte promised a return to civilian rule but the promise never materialized. Guinea was able to escape the instability that affected its neighbors Liberia and Sierra Leone but ended up receiving refugees from both countries. It appeared that there would be a loss of patience until history repeated itself again with the death of Mr. Conte and a military coup by Capt. Camara.

Capt. Camara promised a return to civilian rule but decided to stand for President in the 2010 Elections in spite of a previous promise not to do so. It remains to be seen what will transpire but Guinea will be monitored closely.