“We are all Guineans” – Rally at the UN demands concrete action
December 8th, 2009
Demonstrators marching to the UN on Dec 8
From Mayor David Dinkins to opposition party leader Francois Fall, Radio Nostalgie journalist and September 28 eye witness Nassirou Diallo to students from Herricks High School on Long Island, Mme Kadiatou Diallo to New York activist and writer Kevin Powell, hundreds of people marched from the Guinean consulate to the United Nations in New York today to say that we will not stand idly by as the latest military despots in Guinea act with impunity. Instead, the crowd demanded that the perpetrators of the September 28 atrocities be brought to justice and that the international community take concrete action to protect the civilian population in Guinea, remove the military from power and help the organization of the first free and fair presidential elections in the country’s history.
The organizers of the march, the September 28 Coalition for Justice and Democracy in Guinea – led by the Commission of the Guinea Forces Vives in the US, Alliance Guinea and the Amadou Diallo Foundation – delivered this memo to the Secretary General demanding that the international Commission of Inquiry investigate and prosecute the crimes to the fullest extent of the law, that the UN assist ECOWAS and the African Union in finding another mediator to replace or work with Blaise to *get the CNDD out of power,* and that the international community provide the technical, financial and political assistance necessary to provide an intervention force to shepherd Guinea through a transition to a democratically elected civil government. With the chaos in the military and uncertainties of Guinea’s rule worsening by the day – we need this assistance more now than ever.
Rally at the United Nations, NYC: Tuesday December 8, 11am – 3pm
December 1st, 2009
"The ICC is watching." From the September 28 march in NYC
As demonstrated by the highly disappointing transition deal proposed by Blaise Campaore and recent arrest of the activist Mouctar Diallo in Conakry, the fight for justice and democratically-elected civilian rule in Guinea is far from over. The UN’s International Commission of Inquiry landed in Conakry last week and is currently conducting an initial 10-day investigation into the atrocities committed on September 28, trying “to establish the facts, classify the crimes and determine who was responsible.”
In order to express the need for the Commission of Inquiry to pursue its investigation to the end and make it possible for justice to be served – and to express the additional, urgent need for the UN to do everything in its powers to support the African Union and ECOWAS in designing and implementing a plan for a transition to democratic elections without delay – we must keep the UN, the US and the world aware of what is happening in Guinea. We cannot stand idly by as crimes against humanity go unpunished, a nation is kept hostage by its own military, and an entire sub-region is endangered by the very real threat of ethnic-based civil war. Not this time.
Join the newly-formed September 28 Coalition for Justice and Democracy in Guinea for a march and rally at the United Nations to add your voice to the thousands of Guineans and friends of Guinea, justice and democracy who will be marching to say “not this time.” Two months after the atrocities were committed and we first marched to the UN calling for an end to military rule, we must keep up the pressure and do so now with a diverse, united voice.
When: Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 11am – 3pm
Details:
11am: Protest at the Guinean Consulate, E. 39th & Lexington
12noon: March down 3rd Ave. to Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza
12:30pm – 3pm: Rally at the UN – E. 47th & UN Plaza
Speakers to include: Kadiatou Diallo, Mayor David Dinkins, Kevin Powell, Norman Siegel, award-winning Guinean activists such as Mme Doussou Conde, eye-witnesses to the 28 atrocities and Mme Magassouba direct from Conakry, representative of rape survivors.
Organized by the September 28 Coalition for Justice and Democracy in Guinea: The Guinean Forces Vives in the United States ♦ Alliance Guinea ♦ The Amadou Diallo Foundation
Blaise’s mediation: Falls short of expectations
November 22nd, 2009
Blaise Campaore
Cona-cry relied on Blaise’s so-called wisdom to resolve the Guinean crisis. For a while we deliberately closed our eyes to his former agenda: the assassination of Thomas Sankara and the silence surrounding the death of journalist Norbert Zongo, conflicts created and substantiated across West Africa from the time of Ivorian president Houphouët Boigny until the time of Charles Taylor to the Hague today…In the Liberia-Sierra Leone conflict alone, undeniably supported by Burkina’s “Mr. Wisdom”, we have witnessed the systematic elimination of “over 300 000 casualties”. As for neighboring Ivory Coast, the ephemeral tranquility that it savors this very moment only came about when Blaise was called to the rescue as mediator. Not surprising, the fire that ravaged Ivory Coast was extinguished by Burkina-Faso, who served as the home base for rebels.
Guinea, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. The people rose against the ruling junta, not to overthrow the power, but rather to establish the foundation for a stable lasting democracy. This in today’s Africa is undoubtedly a threat to the status quo in the eyes of self-proclaimed heads of state, former conspirators, terrorists reborn into Messiahs who now lead the pack. A popular upheaval that leads us towards a stable and durable democracy, regardless of where in Africa this takes place, remains a serious threat to those in power. The Burkinabe president couldn’t have been offered a better opportunity than to serve as mediator in Guinea, where his policies will seemingly be limited to the systematic suffocation of the democratic process that otherwise would inspire the Burkinabe people, who have up until now been deprived of democracy.
One must recognize however, that the Guinean opposition was apparently too optimistic regarding the promises and support from the international community, and had all but given up hope of help on that front, and instead their hope rode solely on the anticipated help from Blaise. One would think that with the unanimous condemnation from the international community, Blaise would have sought to be seen in a “wise” light instead of an opportunistic one. However, up until now reality has revealed the opposite. It seems that the strong man from the land known for the integrity of its inhabitants much prefers the petty gold of naïve kinglets than the wisdom of the other Africa that seeks to renew itself. The other day, was there not just mention of the 50 kg of gold that Dadis sent him? In any case the verdict on his synthesis is clear: no foreseeable transparent and fair election in Guinea. Meanwhile the allegations against the South African mercenaries who have been training rebels in the confines of Forecariah are continuing to gather steam, the international community, all talk and not enough action, is the perfect spectator anticipating the ultimate carnage. After all, just as in Rwanda, they will have solid arguments: “We were not aware…”
Mamadou Maladho Diallo
Did Blaise Campaore understand nothing, or rather like certain other presidents in the region – does he simply prefer to ignore everything that the people have expressed?
November 21st, 2009After reading the wire from Agence France Presse (AFP), I spent the whole night wondering how Blaise got to this proposal.
I note that he proposes “ … A National Transition Council will be established for 10 months. It will be presided by a member of the junta, the CNDD, who will nominate a Prime Minister from the Forces Vives…”. This was the CNDD’s proposal. It’s a remake of the timeline that was elaborated by the junta and the Forces Vives without “help” from the mediation. This proposal means that:
1. Dadis Camara has the possibility to remain in place.
2. Dadis can be a candidate for the next presidential election and that’s contrary to ECOWAS’ roadmap.
Mr. Compaore seems to have been oblivious to the protest of Guineans across the globe. He seems to ignore that opposition to the probable candidacy of Dadis is what brought about the bloody crackdown of September 28: this mediation amounts to treating the effects while ignoring the root causes.
.
Mamadou
Rep. Yvette Clarke on record: Justice and assistance needed for Guinea
November 5th, 2009
“Guinea West Africa has carried the torch of freedom since its independence from the French in 1958. The country has been an example to the rest of the region throughout its history, as it was the first nation of French West Africa to gain its independence. That said, I am deeply concerned about the rising tensions within the country and its potential to ignite regional instability within the West African region.”
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke of New York made this official statement read into the Congressional Record last week on the occasion of the march on Washington, rising to address the Speaker of the House of Representatives “to acknowledge the Movement of Guinean Women in the United States, the Commission for Guinean Forces Vives in the United States and Alliance Guinea” for organizing the demonstration in front of the State Department to protest the atrocities that continue to take place in Guinea.
Congresswoman Clarke’s declares that she “strongly believes that all citizens of Guinea should be afforded the right to have their voices heard without the threat of violence” and that “those responsible [for the appalling rapes] must be brought to justice.” She calls for the international community to provide emergency care and humanitarian assistance for the people of Guinea following the traumas caused by September 28 and declares her strong backing of the State Department’s position in “admonishing those who committed [the] injustices” and supports the call for the CNDD not to stand in elections.
Congresswoman Clarke has emerged as an early ally in the US Congress for the cause of justice and freedom in Guinea, and we are grateful for her support. To become involved with reaching out to representatives from your home state, tell us of your interest here or email allianceguinea@gmail.com.
Week of Sanctions, Plus Mediation in Ouagadougou
November 5th, 2009The mediation continues between the Force Vives and the military junta in Guinea under the leadership of Mr. Blaise Campaore. This comes after the European Union, the United Nations, the African Union and the United States have taken important travel sanctions against members of the government.
The mediator has asked the Force Vives to draft a plan that would address the transition and criteria for the upcoming elections. Upon receipt of this draft, Mr. Campaore announced that”the propositions are interesting” but no breakthrough thus far.
The systematic sanctions seem to have significant effects on junta. However, those of the U.S. are in sharp contrast to the nations. It extra ingredients include travel restrictions on
“individuals who support policies or actions that undermine the restorations of democracy and the rule of law in Guinea”
according to the U.S. State Department. Also, the U.S. Government keeps secret-at least for now- the identities of those targeted by the sanctions. Further financial and other restrictions are being put in motion.
Here is a fundamental question: What will be the immediate and future consequences of these synchronized sanctions hailing on the Guinean Government and supporters of it policies?
See here for the official EU sanctions decree and list of names and here for the announcement of the US sanctions.
Sekou Konde for Alliance Guinea
(Français) La Marche du pagne blanc
November 2nd, 2009Women of the Forces Vives’s forum -France section are organizing a protest march Saturday, November 7 in Paris. This march aims at:
First, expressing their solidarity, once again, to the victims and especially to the women publicly raped and abused September 28 in Conakry.
Second, requiring an action by the justice, for that not to happen again.
The gathering is at 14h on the Place Victor Hugo (Victor Hugo Metro, line2), the court of human rights.
Mamadou
Premeditated Attacks and Widespread Rape: Initial Report from Human Rights Watch
October 27th, 2009The initial communiqué released today and available here from Human Rights Watch following their 10-day investigation into the events of September 28 in Conakry reveals that the atrocities were more brutal and widespread than many of us realized. Through several first-hand accounts, survivors and other eyewitnesses describe in detail the measures taken by the CNDD Presidential Guard to trap the unarmed protestors in the stadium and use horrific rape as a weapon of terror. The conclusion of HRW: “There is no way the government can continue to imply the deaths were somehow accidental,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “This was clearly a premeditated attempt to silence opposition voices.”
The level of brutality, of the utter disregard for one’s fellow humanity, makes the report very hard to read. And yet it must be – by as many people as possible, for the truth must be known. And only in this knowing can we have any hope for justice.
Thousands in Washington call for justice, with women in the lead
October 26th, 2009
Marchers in front of the White House
With a huge showing of women in the lead, an estimated 5000 people from at least 11 states across the east coast and Midwest – Guineans and friends of Guinea – marched in front of the White House and to the US State Department today to increase awareness of the atrocities of September 28 and to demand justice for the victims and help for a transition to democratic elections in Guinea. The marchers highlighted in particular the horrific violence committed against women that day and made it clear that these sacrifices must not be in vain.
In addition to the march, members of the Movement of Guinean Women in the United States and the Guinean Forces Vives in the US met with staff at the State Department where they fully briefed the African bureau on the current situation in Guinea and discussed strategies for continued U.S. support of an end to military rule in the country. In addition, a second delegation of Guinean civil society members and American friends of Guinea met with the staff of key offices on Capitol Hill to raise awareness of the situation in Congress and garner additional support.
Meeting with Marissa Doran, staff of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs
Submitted this letter in the name of the Movement of Guinean Women and Guinean Forces Vives in the US and Alliance Guinea, clearly making the case for why action is needed now and what further steps the United States in particular can take to accelerate the transition.
In addition to people residing in Washington DC, marchers came in from Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Ohio, Indiana, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland, with 17 buses from New York alone to show unity and solidarity for the people of Guinea and demand that action be taken now in the name of human rights and democracy.
Were you at the march? What was it like to express your views in front of the White House, State Department, and US Congress? Share with us your experiences here.
