Guinean Fulbe organisation Pottal-Fii-Bhantal Fouta Djallon said Wednesday it has “taken note of the willingness expressed by the junta government led by Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya to bring to justice those indicted for crimes against humanity committed on September 28, 2009. This news is welcomed because thirteen years since these heinous crimes were perpetrated by the Guinean security forces, the government of Mr. Alpha Condé erected all kinds of obstacles to prevent the trial from taking place.”
The group recalled that “on September 28, 2009, Guinea’s living forces (political parties and civil society organizations) organized a demonstration at the stadium of the same name to protest the declared will of Dadis Camara, head of the military junta, to run in future presidential elections. To prevent the demonstration, security forces invaded the stadium, firing at close range at the protesters and raping in broad daylight all the women they were able to get their hands on. Worse still, according to the report of some human rights organizations, the Fulani were particularly targeted by the security forces. The death toll from these massacres is more than 150 dead, dozens of women raped, thousands wounded and hundreds missing.”
It said the International Criminal Court, United Nations and human rights organizations sent fact-finding missions to Guinea. “Their investigations revealed that the Red Berets of the Presidential Guard were primarily responsible for these crimes… While it is good news to learn that the trial will finally take place, the 13-year delay in bringing to justice the main sponsors of these crimes against humanity is regrettable. This delay is mainly due to the refusal of the dictatorial government of Alpha Condé to bring to justice those responsible for these crimes. As soon as he came to power, Alpha Condé appointed Colonel Claude Pivi minister in charge of presidential security and Colonel Thiégboro Camara Secretary General at the Presidency in charge of special services. These two individuals were indexed in all the reports of the commissions of inquiry as having directed the operations at the stadium that fateful day. They were later indicted by the pool of judges in charge of the investigation. Despite this, Alpha Condé kept them in his government.”
It described the 13-year delay in the suspects’ trial as “a denial of justice” and called for a probe into the declared will of Alpha Conde’s government to prevent by all subterfuge the holding of the trial as well as the refusal by ICC to take up the case. It said under international pressure, a pool of judges conducted investigation that led to the indictment of fifteen people, including junta leader Dadis Camara.
Pottal-Fii-Bhantal Fouta Djallon’s Central Coordination Commission dedicated this year’s anniversary of the massacre to its late to Secretary General Bashir Bah and the late Dr. Maajou Sow, former president of the OGDH.
