Businesses, government offices and schools remained closed in towns across Guinea on Monday as people attended memorial services for at least 113 victims of a crackdown on political protests.
The shutdown defied a military directive that people in the West African country go back to work at once after a crippling general strike that was launched by the powerful trade unions on January 10.
On Sunday, union officials announced the strike would end on Tuesday, after Guinea’s embattled President Lansana Conte agreed to change his prime minister, thus meeting their main political demand.
”I’m happy,” grinned Mamadou Saliou Balde, who sells clothes at a stall in central Conakry’s Niger market, but he was going to wait until Tuesday before resuming his trade. ”I don’t anything will ever be the same again in Guinea.”
The military had ordered a general return to work by Monday, but union leaders said normal life would resume only after the victims of repression during weeks of unrest had been commemorated.
The strike, which started in protest at economic hardship and official corruption, quickly escalated into street demonstrations calling for an end to Conte’s rule, which began in 1984.
Earlier this month Conte (72) appointed his close ally, Eugene Camara, as prime minister, sparking a fresh wave of demonstrations as tens of thousands of people took to the streets.
Conte declared a state of siege and imposed a stringent curfew and martial law on the former French colony.
The police and troops used tear gas and live ammunition against protestors and the death toll from clashes and the repression of demonstrations rose to at least 113, sparking widespread international condemnation.
Last Friday, when Conte asked a usually compliant National Assembly to renew the emergency measures, the deputies unanimously refused, ending 11 days of martial law.
The unions only announced an end to the strike after Sunday’s crisis talks brokered in Conakry by the Economic Union of West African States (Ecowas) and chaired by a former president of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida.
Conte is now expected by Friday to choose a new prime minister, who will have the title of head of government, from among five candidates, three presented by the unions and two by the opposition and civil society leaders.
The unions have stressed that until further progress is achieved, the strike call is only suspended and they are wary of Conte, who has been through several prime ministers and hitherto held the status of government chief.
”We have to be careful and let him know the pressure is constant,” political opposition spokesperson Mamadou Ba said. ”He’s not in the habit of letting his prime ministers do their job.”
Conte suffers from diabetes and memory lapses and rarely appears in public.
”We hope that this time Conte’s got the message,” one union leader, Ibrahima Fofana said. ”The moral guarantee from Ecowas reassures us.”
Babangida plans to return to Guinea on Friday to check on developments and Fofana said the Nigerian ex-president had also promised to see about opening a permanent Ecowas office in Conakry.
”There has to be effective monitoring,” agreed Ben Sekou Sylla, who chairs the National Council of Civil Society. ”We insisted on that with the Ecowas mediators. We know the man only too well.” — AFP
