GUINEA: African Women Condemn Use of Force on Unarmed Civilians

African Women Condemn Use of Force on Unarmed Civilian in Guinea African Women leaders meeting in Lome, Togo at a Women's Leadership Conference convened by the African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) in collaboration with ROFAF condemns in the strongest terms the use of excessive force on unarmed and peaceful demonstrators in Conakry, the capital of Guinea that has resulted in the death of at least 157 persons and injuring over 1,200 people since Monday 28th September 2009.

The women leaders including Members of Parliament from Burkina Faso and Togo, a Presidential Candidate from Cote d'Ivoire, a judge of the Constitutional Court of Togo and leaders from Civil society organizations and trade unionists from Guinea, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe are saddened by Guinea's security forces' barbaric conduct and irresponsible behaviour that has led to the death and injury of many people and the indiscriminate abuse and raping of women that were peacefully voicing their displeasure about the governance challenges in their country.

The women leaders say, “Enough is enough. We must rid Africa of bad leadership and all its effects which slow down development in our continent.”

The women of Africa call upon the leaders in Guinea to stop the security forces from abusing the rights of the citizens of Guinea and the denial of their right to freely express themselves.

Immediate action is demanded to ensure that all those involved in perpetrating these heinous acts are made to account and are duly punished.

It is the right of every person to participate in the governance of their country and that right cannot be derogated as it is clearly articulated in the Africa Charter on Human and People's Rights which Guinea has acceded to.

We further appeal to Captain Dadis Camara to ensure the release of the opposition leaders that were arrested during the demonstrations.

In any democracy the opposition has a role to provide alternatives for leadership and this role must be respected.

The women also urge the government of Guinea to ensure that the atmosphere is conducive in the country to enable the people of Guinea to freely and fairly prepare for their involvement and participation in the forthcoming elections.

We further call upon Captain Dadis Camara to uphold his decision and pledge not to contest in the Presidential elections scheduled in January 2010.

We are aware that currently a military junta without a legislative body runs the government in Guinea.

We therefore appeal to authorities in Guinea to quickly restore a constitutional republic, which the country previously enjoyed before the December 23, 2008 coup d'état and put in place a legislative framework which ensures that all citizen enjoy their rights and women and children in particular are protected from all forms of abuse of their bodily integrity and dignity.

The Women leaders call upon the Economic Commission for West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the international community to act expeditiously to avert further strife in Guinea because unstable states are a big challenge to democracy building in Africa and derail the development agenda on our Continent.

The time for Action is Now!!!