afrol News, 23 February - The request of the Guinean President, Lansana Conté, to extend the martial law backfired after the country's lawmakers unanimously refused to do on Friday. The martial law, which grants unlimited powers to the military, is expired by midnight, in what is seen as a great victory for trade unions.

According to the Guinean law, only the deputies are mandated to extend the martial law.

The Speaker of Guinean National Assembly, Aboubacar Sompare, declared that after a vote, deputies unanimously refused to renew the controversial martial law.

The rare move came at a time when Guinean union leaders and the government have been deadlocked over the appointment of a Prime Minister.

In its reaction, the International Trade Union Congress Secretary General, Guy Ryder, said, "a unanimous rejection of President Conté's attempt to prolong martial law, should be the first step in resolving the deep and violent crisis for which President Conté is responsible."

Mr Ryder believed that time was ripe for the Guinean dictator to respect the will of his people and bow down to the demands of trade unionists by implementing in full the agreement he had signed with them a month ago.

Opposition and union leaders in Guinea praised parliamentarians for their act but they vowed to continue with their general strike until a new Prime Minister who has their trust is appointed.

They said they must not sit back and watch armed forces to continue to violate the rights of innocent people.

Guinea's bed-ridden President decreed the martial law that gave the military sweeping powers to restore order in the country on 13 February. The law also imposed a 20-hour-a-day curfew as well as declared a state of emergency for 11 days. The decree however only caused more protests.

The martial law outlawed all public meetings and gave powers to the military to arrest anyone suspected of "threatening state security". It banned Guineans from holding processions, demonstrations or gatherings as well as empowered the military to conduct searches in private homes, monitor phone calls, communications and censor the press.

Mr Conté, who has ruled Guinea since a 1984 coup, defended that the state was under siege, which was why the martial law was enforced to prevent it from sliding into a civil war.

Trade union leaders in the West African country ended their 18-day strike on 28 January after they were assured by President Conté that their demands - one of them being the appointment of a trustworthy Prime Minister to take over some of President Conté's functions - were going to be met. But they later resumed another nation-wide protest against Mr Conté's appointment of Eugène Camara, a long time cabinet minister, as Prime Minister.

Describing the development as a "new provocation" by President Contè, union leaders called on Guineans to go back to the streets to protest for the resignation of Mr Contè. Like the previous strikes, the latest also turned fatal, as armed security officers shot and killed strikers. Though exact death toll was not known, but media reports pegged it at over 100.

The crisis in Guinea, a country situated in an already troubled region, has become a cause for concern to the regional economic grouping, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). An ECOWAS mission - headed by Nigeria’s former President, Ibrahima Babangida and the General Secretary of the body, Mohammed Chambras - has flown to Conakry for the second time to promote peace between the government and union leaders.

"I am very optimistic and I am convinced that a political solution shall be achieved," Mr Babangida declared after meeting the new Prime Minister, Eugène Camara. He described their talks as "very useful".

The deadly strikes in Guinea have taken their toll on towns close to the borders with Sierra Leone and Liberia. It is reported that some towns in southern Senegal have also been affected by the strike, as most Guinean business people who supply goods there became trapped in their country.

Fears are now flying high that the Guinea crisis might proliferate to the neighbouring countries if it is not properly handled. It is against this backdrop that the Presidents of Sierra Leone and Liberia - Ahmed Tijan Kabbah and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf - have now met their Guinean counterpart on the issue.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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