African Union slaps sanctions on junta

The African Union has implemented travel and financial sanctions on members of Guinea's ruling junta. The US and EU had already imposed similar sanctions following the massacre of protesters in Conakry in September.

AFP - The African Union has implemented sanctions on Guinea's military rulers, AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra said Saturday.
  
"Africa has implemented sanctions against several dozen people in Guinea who are opposing a return to constitutional order," he said at a press conference on the sidelines of a summit on the Madagascar crisis.
  
"The list has been sent to AU member states, to the UN Security Council and to the European Union (EU) so that we can harmonize our positions and take appropriate measures," he added.
  
The sanctions include bans on travel and the freezing of assets held outside Guinea by the junta's leaders.
  
They were imposed after junta troops opened fire at a rally in a Conakry stadium where protestors were urging junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara not to stand in presidential elections planned for January.
  
Both the AU and the west African economic grouping ECOWAS have already suspended Guinea and both the United States and the EU have imposed sanctions on the junta.
  
Camara seized power in the mineral-rich west African state on December 23 last year, just hours after the death of Guinea's long-serving ruler lansana Conte, who was an autocratic army general.

Date created : 2009-11-07