Tension mounts in Guinea

  1. Posted on Friday 9 October 2009 - 11:19
    diandonghol
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    Mamadou Dian Donghol Diallo, AfricaNews reporter in Conakry, Guinea
    Cracks are forming within the leadership of the Guinea junta following attempts to arrest soldiers suspected of killing over 150 civilians on Monday. AfricaNews' correspondent in the capital Conakry reports that there is an uneasy calm surrounding Camp Alpha Yaya Diallo, headquarters of the junta.
    Guinea map
    Our reporter said the junta is split into two – one led by the Minister in charge of the Presidential Security, Captain Claude Pivi and the Chief of the Presidential Guard, Lieutenant Aboubacar Toumba Diakite.

    Deputy junta leader General Sekouba Konate summoned police to arrest Camara's aide-de-camp Aboubacar Sidiki "Toumba" Diakite but the arrest was aborted as a dispute flared within the camp, senior police and military sources told Reuters.

    "It was General Konate who ordered the arrest of Toumba," a senior police officer said. "There were heated discussions. At that moment I left."

    AfricaNews reporter said Diakité, Theodore Siba Kourouma and 83 other soldiers are reported to be the main perpetrators of the protestors on Monday.

    Reuters report said an army officer at the scene denied a media report that shots had been fired but added: "We don't know what is going to happen next, but there is tension and we are just waiting."

    The opposition in Guinea are demanding the immediate resignation of the junta leader and the arrest of the killers.

    Meanwhile, Capt. Camara has announced in a communiqué that he had set up a National Independent Investigation Commission to probe the killings. The commission made up of 31 members including judges, doctors, the actives forces (political parties, the trade union, the civil society organization of human rights defence), members of CNDD and Government.

    However, the active forces have declared that they will not participate in the probe because the Commission is under the supervision of the junta.

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