Conakry – Dozens of Guinea’s largest political parties on Wednesday vowed to defy the ruling junta’s ban on demonstrations in a further hardening of relations with the military.
The Group of 58 (G58) coalition of parties joined forces with former president Alpha Conde’s Rally of the Guinean People (RPG) to announce their intention to brave the ban and denounce the “authoritarianism” of junta leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya in a press release.
In a country accustomed to political violence, the groups warned that the military rulers would “be solely responsible for any degradation” of the social climate in coming days.
Exasperated by repression, poverty and corruption under Conde, many welcomed the junta when it seized power from him in September.
But discontent is growing among political parties.
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The G58 and RPG in their statement said they strongly disagreed with the new protest ban announced on Friday, and were determined “to defend the rule of law, in this case the right to demonstrate”.
They said they would set up a commission to organise “future peaceful demonstrations”.
They also accused the junta of seeking to “confiscate” power after Guinea’s legislative body last week announced a three-year transition period before the return of civilian rule, defying regional calls for a swifter timetable.
The parties criticised recent arrests of their leaders in what the junta has described as a fight against corruption, as well as evictions from their homes, supposedly part of a policy to recover public property.
Amnesty International on Wednesday condemned the protest ban.
“Through this decision, the transitional authorities are perpetuating the violation of the right to peaceful assembly frequently committed under the presidency of Alpha Conde, whom they overthrew on September 5, 2021,” it said.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Getty Images
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