In Guinea, putschists announce meetings to form a government
Guinea’s ruling coup plotters have announced a series of meetings starting Tuesday, September 14, to prepare for the formation of a government.
The meetings, announced Saturday night by the military on national television, are part of the promised “consultation” to set the lines for a political transition and form a government.
The military, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, will receive on Tuesday the leaders of political parties, then those of religious denominations; on Wednesday civil society organizations, then diplomatic representations; on Thursday the bosses of mining companies established in Guinea, then employers’ organizations; and on Friday banks and trade unions, according to the communiqués read on television.
ECOWAS mission
The coup has pushed the price of aluminum to its highest level in years on the markets – Guinea is one of the world’s leading producers of bauxite, the main ore for aluminum production – and the junta has been busy reassuring the country’s partners that operations will continue and that commitments made will be respected.
The military, which deposed President Alpha Conde on September 5, will open the meeting when ECOWAS is due to decide again on the follow-up to the putsch.
The West African organization demands an “immediate return to constitutional order” and has suspended Guinea from its decision-making bodies. It must now examine the report of a mission dispatched to the country on Friday before deciding on possible new measures.
Any demonstration of joy forbidden
If scenes of jubilation greeted the fall of Alpha Conde, the military committee now in charge of the country announced Saturday evening the banning of any demonstration of support.
Colonel Doumbouya thanked Guineans for their “massive support for his vision expressed through scenes of joy throughout the country. However, the president (of the committee) prohibits any demonstration of joy of any kind,” according to another statement read on television.
The junta also announced a toll-free number to report any abuses by the security forces. Human rights activists constantly denounce abuses by the security forces.
