G Bissau inaugurates mutinous army chief

  1. Posted on Wednesday 30 June 2010 - 13:24
    Kemo
    Image of Kemo
    Kemo Cham, AfricaNewsreporter in Dakar, Senegal
    In defiance of international opposition, the authorities in Guinea Bissau, Tuesday, inaugurated mutinous army General, Antonio Indjai, as head of the country's military. Gen Indjai led a mutiny in April, ousting the head of the army, who is still in custody, and briefly detaining the prime minister.
    Gen. Antonio Indjai
    A controversial choice as army chief of staff of what is widely viewed as West Africa’s must undisciplined military; General Antonio Indjai made international headlines last April when he came close to overthrowing the government of ‘puppet’ President Malam Becai Sanha. He led a lawless group of army hooligans who seized and detained both the country’s Prime Minister and former head of army.

    While Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior has since been released, former army chief of staff General Jose Zamora Induta has been in detention since then.

    Last week’s announcement, appointing Indjai as head of Guinea Bissau’s army, was met with wide spread international condemnation.

    The United States government stands especially openly opposed to it. Its embassy in Dakar, which oversees the drug infested nation, earlier on Tuesday, released a statement condemning the inauguration of Mr Indjai. It expressed "regrets" over the appointment, saying he was "unfit" for the job. The embassy statement announced the fulfillment of US’ last week’s promise to withdraw support for vital security sector reform in the country.

    "These acts of insubordination, indiscipline and mutiny render Major General Indjai unfit to lead the country’s armed forces," the statement said, referring to last April’s episode.

    Not only that is the controversial army chief a party to the obvious threat to the fledgling democracy in the rather unstable West African nation, but his relationship with alleged coupist and well known drug baron, former navy chief Rear Admiral Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto, portrays him as an unquestionable force of discord in the government.

    A rather powerless President Malam Bacai Sanha sought to defend his decision to appoint Indjai, who on April threatened to kill his prime minister.

    "We took a sovereign decision to name General Indjai as the head of the army, because Guinea-Bissau is a sovereign country. I am speaking as the democratically elected president," President Sanha said at the inauguration.

    He added, directing this statement to Indjai, "I recommend you prioritize dialogue to resolve the problems in the barracks. The army must respect and submit to the political regime."

    But the current unenviable relationship between the newly appointed army chief and the country’s prime minister rules out any possibility of cooperation. This leaves a lot at stake in a country that does not only pose a severe threat to its citizens, but also the rest of the sub region and beyond.

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