Guinean junta disapproves of ECOWAS leaders' demand for clear transition timeline
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The Guinean military junta has dismissed the demand of heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a clear and acceptable transition timeline by 25 April or face economic and financial sanctions.
Government spokesperson, Ousmane Gaoual Diallo, told leaders of the sub-regional grouping it is not right to "move towards democracy under diktat".
The minister told the press on Saturday that the junta, which had been in power since 5 September, and the government had taken actions that were likely to end the transition.
"These acts are for the moment very positive and encouraging. And ECOWAS must also understand that we do not move towards democracy under diktat."
"It is imperative that ECOWAS understands the situation in Guinea and not consider Guinea as a country at war or a country in crisis," he said, adding that it was internal crises that led to the seizure of power by the army.
Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou at a press conference in Accra last Friday after an ECOWAS summit, said the heads of state noted "some progress" as former president Alpha Conde had been allowed to travel outside for health reasons while a Transitional council had been installed.
However, he said, "there are key elements of concern", especially on the transition timelines.
Nothing has happened since ECOWAS gave the junta 6 months for election, thus creating "tremendous uncertainties", Mr Brou said.
But the Guinean Government spokespersonHe asked ECOWAS to be "attentive to institutions and peoples", adding that the sub-regional institution has not distinguished itself in recent years by the requirements in terms of rule of law.
For his part, the former Minister of National Reconciliation under the late President Lansana Conté, Amadou Oury Bah, said that the approach of ECOWAS is rational, denouncing shortcomings in the approach of the junta, the National Committee of the Rally for Development (CNRD), from its accession to power.
"In my opinion, there were errors of approach, because the charter should have taken into account the duration of the transition from the beginning. It is true that there are certainly contradictory proposals on both sides which mean that until now we have not managed to delimit the period devoted to the transition," he explained.
Mr. Bah added that he had proposed to the junta the day after the overthrow of President Alpha Condé a period of 30 months for the transition.
For his part, the president of Generation Citizen (GECI) political party, Fodé Mohamed Soumah, said that the decision of ECOWAS is not a surprise because six months after the seizure of power, there is to clear sign on the return to normal constitutional order.
According to the political leader, who belonged to the 9th legislature, Burkina Faso had just given "a good example" by proceeding to the grooming of the Constitution in one week, adding that the revision of the electoral lists can be done in one month before the enrolment of voters a month later.
-0- PANA AC/IS/BBA/MA 27March2022
