Yearbook 2011
Guinea. According to Countryaah official site, the political situation in Guinea improved significantly after the violent turmoil surrounding the 2010 presidential election. The election meant that Guinea was once again given full civilian rule under the leadership of President Alpha Condé. The parliamentary elections, which would be the next step in the democratization of the country, would have been held during the first half of 2011, but postponed until December 29. There were still strong ethnic tensions beneath the surface, as many from the Fulani people felt they had passed both politically and economically. Most of the Fulani people had supported Cellou Dalein Diallo, Condé’s main counterpart in the presidential election. When Dalein Diallo returned to his home country in April after a months-long stay abroad, violent outbursts erupted as security forces intervened against his supporters who, despite demonstration bans, gathered to meet him. Four people were killed and several people were shot. Seventy of Dalein Diallo’s followers were arrested. 17 people were pardoned by President Condé in July. Then a reconciliation commission was also appointed to investigate the incident. Visit ABBREVIATIONFINDER for the acronym of GIN that stands for the country of Guinea.
On July 19, an attack was made against the president’s residence and a member of the presidential guard was killed during the two-hour fire fight. At least a dozen people were arrested, among them several senior officers with ties to the former military junta. Condé escaped without injury and described what happened as an attempted murder and not a coup attempt. It was speculated that behind the act there was a concern among certain military factions that they would lose many of their privileges in a planned defense reform.
At the beginning of the autumn, opposition leaders expressed concern that the authorities would have flouted the ballot boxes for the upcoming parliamentary elections. In September, three people were killed in violent clashes between police and the opposition in the capital, Conakry. The event was extra sensitive as it took place on the anniversary of the military junta’s massacre of 156 unarmed protesters in 2009. After it was promised that a review of voting lengths would be made later in the fall.
On December 19, the Election Commission announced that the parliamentary elections would be postponed indefinitely. However, President Condé stressed that it was important that the elections were held as early as possible in 2012 and a dialogue with the opposition was initiated.