Updates on the situation in Guinea following the 28 September massacre

Reprinted with permission from Friends of Guinea blog here and here.


Guinéenews reports that the Upper Guinea city of Siguiri and Forest region city of Kissidougou were both paralyzed by general strikes today [Monday].

Earlier Monday morning, protesters in Siguiri took to the streets demanding public lighting of their city. The protests prevented activities in the center of town. Protesters objected to the local authorities failure to keep its promise in the matter.

In Kissidougou, transport and commercial activities were halted when youth called for action to protest both the candidacy of the military leader Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara in January's presidential elections and the September 28 massacre. The protesters were dissuaded against actually taking to the streets, for fear of violence, however the population stayed home instead, shutting down the city.

Meanwhile, Burkina Faso's head of state Blaise Compaoré arrived in Conakry to begin ECOWAS sponsored mediation.

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Events are moving so quickly in Guinea that it's hard to keep up, but below are links to various news articles about and international reaction to the evolving situation in the country following the September 28 massacre that is now believed to have killed 187 people.

-Foreign gunmen helped Guinea crackdown (Reuters)

-Scuffles break out at new Guinea anti-junta demo (AFP)

-Thousands identify Guinea bodies (BBC)

-International inquiry needed into violence by Guinea security forces(Amnesty International)

-Guinean junta leader calls for UN investigation (Radio Netherlands)

-UN Security Council condemns Guinea repression, deaths (DPA)

-CNDD junta condemns September 28 deaths (Guinéenews - in French)

-Guinea junta calls for national unity government (Reuters)

-Guinea opposition rejects unity government after bloodbath (DPA)

-Guinean refugees heading toward Mali (Maliweb - in French)

-Guinean soldiers accused of raping women with rifle butts (AP)

-Civil society reactions to junta leader’s declarations (MISNA)

-West African regional grouping names Burkina Faso leader as facilitator (AFP)

-[Video] Guinean soldiers firing on crowd (UK Guardian) (WARNING: contains graphic images)

-[Audio] Guinea violence (BBC World Service Analysis program)

-Guinea leader vows to hold election despite bloody protest (The Day)

-France's [foreign minister Bernard] Kouchner Urges International Intervention in Guinea (Bloomberg)

-Guinea people opposed to peacekeepers, claims junta chief (AFP)

-Guinea leader claims 'no responsibility' in bloodbath (AFP)

-Dadis admits, "To say that I control this army would be demagogy." (France 24)