Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Conakry (Agenzia Fides) – “We are trapped inside our houses. The people do not dare to go out and the businesses and offices are all closed. Every so often, a gun shot is heard in the distance,” Fides was informed by a source from the local Church in Conakry, the capital of the Republic of Guinea, where rebel military soldiers have entered into conflict with the Presidential Guard.
The Presidential Guard has been entrusted with the defense of the “semi-island” of Kaloum, from which Conakry has developed, and that is connected to the rest of the city by an isthmus. This area is home to the Embassies and Presidential Palace. “The rebel soldiers have tried to take over the Presidential Palace, as well as the nearby headquarters of High State, which they suspect is being used as a hide-out by high-level officials. The soldiers are demanding their resignation, accusing them of having made personal use of funds intended for their salaries,” our source said. The Presidential Guard has blocked access to the area and fighting has broken out between the two parties. According to the press, 10 people have been injured.
“A situation of real division within the army has been produced. On the one hand, there are the soldiers of regular divisions that have rebelled and on the other, the Presidential Guard that has remained loyal to the President. It is a division based on elite; the better paid and better equipped versus the rest of the army. We have observed that they have firearms never before seem here in Guinea, only in movies,” our source said.
“The civilian population has neither voice nor vote in what is happening, although it does suffer the consequences. So far, the rebel soldiers have only worked towards their own interests: the payment of overdue salaries, 5 million Guinea Francs per soldier (6,000 Guinea Francs are worth 1 Euro), the release of their arrested comrades, and a reduction in the cost of rice for the army, but not for civilians. In the meantime, the rebel soldiers are confiscating all kinds of goods, from store-bought items to cars: the owners are forced to surrender to the soldiers, as they use arms to threaten them,” Fides’ source commented. “Due to the sacking and the closure of stores, food and fuel supplies are running low and the population continues to face more difficulties by the minute.”
The rift between the soldiers and the civilians has been commented by a daily journal, “Guineenews,” that questioned “whether or not a part of the rebel soldiers is not taking orders from someone.” According to this opinion, there would exist “witch’s apprentices” that, feeding the flame of the military rebellion, could be trying to block the process of democratization in the country that began after the protests, that were in this case of the people, in 2007. The journal, recalling the example of their neighbor Ivory Coast, showed signs of hope that in Guinea reason may prevail and that peace may be conserved. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 30/5/2008)
