Guinea’s political tsunami the need for urgent action

There should always be an African solution to an African problem. But this has often proved to be difficult especially taking into consideration recent happenings in the African continent. From the north, to the south and unto the west of Africa, almost all the problems facing the continent are often and again, resolved by foreign intervention.

The deteriorating political situation in Guinea is one that calls for the urgent and prompt intervention of the international community especially the African Union, the United Nation and the Economic Community of West African States. Over the years we have seen how countries in the continent have gone through military interventions but were able to come out with a solution to those political problems.

One country that has witnessed military rule more than any other country in the sub region, after Guinea Conakry in the West African sub region is Nigeria. But after years of military dictatorship, Nigeria was able to finally come out of that type of political rule and had a taste of democracy and good governance, some years back. Sierra Leone also had its own side of the coin; many years of military rule, until when in 1996, we had a return to democratic governance. But this has not been the case with Guinea, and from all indications, they appear not ready to go by what is expected from the perspective of democratic governance. And they must be forced to go that way, irrespective of how long it takes, they should go for democracy as the best form of governance.

But one fact we must not underestimate is that developments in Guinea are not just too encouraging and as such calls for the urgent intervention of the international community, especially the United Nations, ECOWAS and the African Union.  I have argued that military intervention, in getting the current military boys out of power would be most unacceptable, taking the 1996 Sierra Leone as a case study. There are many ways of approaching the problem; one way could be intensifying sanctions in what ever shape or form, against the military regime.

On the 29^th of October last year, the BBC reported that “The US and the African Union have imposed sanctions against the military leader of Guinea, Capt Moussa Dadis Camara, and 41 members of his junta…’ and that “The moves come one day after the UN created a tribunal to probe the killing of at least 150 people when troops fired on an anti-government protest.” This was, and is still encouraging, knowing the effects of sanctions on a country. Zimbabwe could hardly survive today as a nation because it has been paralyzed as a nation, so also was Sierra Leone in the late 1990’s, especially during the Johnny Paul era.  But the AU and UN should go beyond placing just travel bans on military officers.

I recently wrote that the political affairs of Guinea have always been managed by military boys, and this is unfortunate for African democracies.  The bloodless overthrow of the corpse of Lansanah Conte by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara in Guinea late last year  marked the beginning of another sad era in not only Guinea’s political; spectrum, but for the whole of the West African sub region. Any form of political instability in Guinea, will definitely have an adverse effect on neighboring countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia. The same will not the case in Guinea and Liberia if Sierra Leone is in political turmoil.

That, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara came to power in a bloodless coup on December 23 after the death of Dictator Lansanah Conte, who had led the country since 1984. The decision  by Captain Moussa Dadis  Camara to state that he was going to contest the  then pending elections in Guinea sent shock waves in Guinea. It resulted to civil disobedience; people took to the streets of Conakry in protest and demonstrations; Scores of demonstrators were killed in Conakry’s biggest stadium on September 28 as they gathered to protest Camara’s plans to run in a presidential election he had slated for January’, reports an online news agency . There were conflicting reports regarding the number of people killed. The military junta said 56 people were killed and 934 were injured. Human Rights Watch said the attack on the protesters was organized and premeditated, and put the death toll at 157. The United Nations believes 150 were killed.

And so, in trying to get a solution to the debacle that now exists in Guinea, even the Mano River Union, which comprises of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, also has a stake in all of the current political tsunami in Guinea. Fair enough Sierra Leone ands Liberia should be seen taking the lead, in pushing for more serious and robust action against the military regime in Guinea.

Also, whilst travel bans and other forms of sanctions have been imposed, there could be more and serious negotiations, including some influential African Heads of States so as to convince the military boys that there are no longer needed in the running of Africa’s political administration.  The UN, ECOWAS and the African Union should be seen actively looking out for solution to the problem in Guinea, or else it would go a long was in destabilizing the sub region, which may not mean well for the general African continent.

As I end, let me take this opportunity to inform that I have got a good working atmosphere at the NRA and not hated by Alieu Sesay for my ‘professionalism, as stated yesterday in a front page commentary in the New Vision on the NRA. 

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