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Latest update: 15/01/2010
- Guinea Conakry - Moussa Dadis Camara
Junta 'urges' chief Camara to return home
Guinea’s interim leader and ruling junta chief Moussa Dadis Camara have held talks in Burkina Faso over the transfer of power in their country as high-ranking officials in Guinea called for Camara's return home.
REUTERS -Guinea’s wounded junta leader feels he was tricked into taking a flight to Burkina Faso instead of returning to Guinea and is determined to get home, officials said on Thursday.
Captain Moussa Dadis Camara arrived in Burkina Faso on Tuesday after spending more than a month in Morocco recovering from an assassination attempt.
His reemergence as a political player has raised fears of trouble after General Sekouba Konate, his deputy and the country’s interim leader, boosted peace hopes with talk of a transition to civilian rule.
“Dadis Camara understood that he would be getting off the plane in (Guinea’s capital) Conakry and was shocked when it was made clear that he would have to stay in Ouagadougou,” a senior Burkinabe official who requested anonymity told Reuters.
The official said Camara wanted to return to Guinea but played down prospects of an imminent homecoming.
Former colonial power France has warned that Camara’s return to Guinea, where he seized power in December 2008 and has since broken promises to step down and allow civilian rule, could spark a civil war.
A United Nations report held Camara responsible for the Sept. 28 killing of more than 150 pro-democracy marchers by the military. Witnesses said some of the killings and rapes targeted specific ethnic groups.
The Dec. 3 assassination bid by Camara’s former aide-de-camp followed months of escalating tensions in the world’s top bauxite exporter.
Camar and Konate in talks
Camara and Konate met Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore late on Thursday for talks in a Ouagadougou hotel, a Reuters witness said. The two Guineans held three hours of talks in Ouagadougou overnight on Wednesday but there have been no public statements.
A group of high-ranking members of Camara’s National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD) said on state television on Thursday that they supported Konate’s plan to appoint a transitional government, but also appealed for Camara’s return.
Diplomats and analysts warned Camara’s reappearance risked overshadowing opposition talks to name a new prime minister, a post they have been offered by Konate to try to facilitate the transition to elections.
Konate’s red carpet welcome by high-level Burkinabe ministers on Wednesday contrasted with Camara’s low-key arrival on Tuesday night, when he was met by a small group of officials and quickly transferred to a suburban villa.
“The implicit message was pretty clear,” said one diplomat of the preferential treatment for Konate.
However, Idrissa Cherif, a spokesman for Guinea’s presidency and a Camara ally who travelled to Burkina Faso warned of the consequences of his absence.
“I don’t see how we can return to Conakry without Dadis or explain his absence to his numerous supporters. This could provoke a civil war,” Cherif said. Camara’s support base comes from the minority ethnic groups of the Forestiere region.
“The hardliners are trying to get [Camara] back. There are no grounds [for Burkina Faso] to hold Dadis,” said one source with direct contacts within the junta.
The source said Konate had warned soldiers in Guinea this week that they would feel the direct impact of any return to the country by Camara as donors would be wary about supporting the nation financially and the military’s pay could be cut.
“The issue of the allegiance of the army is so important. Are they behind Konate or Dadis?” the source said.
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Comments (6)
Stop promoting Wars A peace wi say
Why is this notion of civil war being promoted? Those of that point of view are war mongering. They are racist and only seek to constantly devide and rule African people. We Africans are dignified and peaceful people. Our brothers and sisters of Guinea, yes the regular jone and john public of Guinea has no desire for any civil wars, we would much rather peacefully find ways towards unity so that we can collectively determine the destiny of Guinea and Africa on a whole. For any one to think of starting any conflict, would only offer evidence of a lack of interest for Guinea.
problem on player
when i play the film it work but without sound . with thanks
alian_amiri@yahoo.com
Francais: le sang des africains coulera sur enfants!
La Guinea C ton pays. Regarde ce que la France a fait de l'afrid francophone Gabon cameroon et tt le reste.Ne nous abandonne pas mon frere . Mieux tu meurs en défandant ton pays. N'oublie pas q la vraie valeur se démontre qd il meurt les armrs a la main. Nous te soutenons.
Vous les francais vous ne perdez rien a attendre.Pourkoi vous ne faites pas comme d'autres pays. Le sang des africains q vous versez tousles jours coulera sur vos enfants
wait and see
Camera
please return
Camara meurder
Dadi Camara has to be arrested and sent to Hague.He is a criminal.He doesnt deserve to be Guinea leader.
We never forget what he did to Guineans
Guinea Political current leaders
These leaders need to put their differences aside and work for the development of their country and the people of guinea. It is unnecessary to sparke a civil war out of greed and power hunger. Wake up people(African leaders)!
Anta Hane
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