tagged w/ Guinea
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The death of Guinean President Lansana Conté has left the country in a state of utter confusion. In power since 1984, the authoritarian ruler leaves behind a financially devastated country, despite its wealth of minerals.
Just hours after the former French army sergeant died, the Guinean Army suspended the constitution and parliament and set up a committee for national recovery - news announced to the country's population of 10 million over state radio
Noel Etienne Gnimassou lives in Fria, a town 160km north of capital Conakry. He works on the production of aluminium oxide in a laboratory. His blog.
Everything's calm in Fria; people have gone back to work as though it were a normal day. Most of the shops are open and there's no rush to buy food - except for those getting provisions for Christmas Eve. Even the children wanted to get to school this morning, but they were sent home. The soldiers are in their barracks and there are no troops moving through the town.
We heard about Conté's death at two in the morning. The army waited until people were sleeping so to avoid gatherings in the street. But in the end people received the news almost indifferently. Everyone's so tired because of the financial crisis here and in the rest of the world, that the reaction's not that strong.
Under Conté we had more freedom than before. But Guinea's an economic wasteland. The country's rich in minerals but the people don't benefit from it.
Today I mourned a little and paid my respects to the dead. But I hope in all my heart that we see a positive and real change. We need someone righteous to take control of the country, so that we can finally see an end to the old guard and allies of the president. Guinea needs a new class of younger, more competent leaders."
Henri Willox is a blogger who contacted us to tell us about the situation in Conakry.
Here in Conakry everyone's going about their business as normal and life goes on except that we don't have any electricity (while normally it gets cut at six in the morning).
We haven't heard one gunshot the whole night and everyone around here is happy to know that the young militaries have taken power [while the army says there's been a coup, the prime minister assures that the government still holds power]."The death of Guinean President Lansana Conté has left the country in a state of... more
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Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara has declared himself leader of Guinea. The country has been in a state of uncertainty since the death of its President.Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara has declared himself leader of Guinea. The country has been... more
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Guinea's army has announced that it has dissolved the country's government and suspended the constitution, hours after the death of President Lansana Conte.
In a state radio statement, Capt Moussa Dadis Camara said a "consultative council" of civilian and military leaders would be set up in their place. All ministers and other top officials have been summoned to the main military camp "to guarantee their security".
Mr Conte had ruled the West African country with an iron fist since 1984. The precise circumstances of the president's death are not yet known, but he had been suffering from diabetes.
BBC West Africa correspondent Will Ross says it is important to see whether the army is united on the way forward for Guinea, as a power struggle could be extremely dangerous given the deep ethnic divisions there. Guinea's neighbours - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast - are enjoying relative stability after many years of brutal conflict, and there are fears that any unrest there could spread across the borders and embroil the sub-region in fighting once more.
Only hours after the speaker of parliament announced that President Conte had died after a "long illness", Capt Camara went on state radio to say that the army had taken over, and a body called the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD) set up.
"As of today, the constitution is suspended as well as political and union activity," he said. "The government and the institutions of the republic have been dissolved.
Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare earlier appealed for "calm and restraint" and declared 40 days of national mourning. "I call on the defence and security forces to assure the security of our borders and calm inside national territory in homage to the memory of the illustrious late leader," he said.
[Credit BBC News]Guinea's army has announced that it has dissolved the country's government... more
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Guinea's government has been dissolved and the constitution suspended, an army spokesman has announced, hours after the death of President Lansana Conte.
President Conte, who died at the age of 74, had ruled the West African country with an iron fist since 1984.
The precise circumstances of Mr Conte's death are not yet known, but he had been suffering from diabetes.
Guinea's Prime Minister, Ahmed Souare, earlier appealed for calm and declared 40 days of national mourning.Guinea's government has been dissolved and the constitution suspended, an army... more
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Iraq has been ranked by Transparency International(TI) as one of the world's most corrupt countries, just above Somalia as the "least clean" state.
The index is based on perceptions of public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories.
The high levels of corruption amount to a humanitarian disaster said Huguette Labelle, chair of the watchdog.
At the bottom of the transparency table, along with Somalia and Iraq, are Burma, Haiti, Afghanistan and Sudan.
While Iraq remains in the same bottom-three position in the table as last year, the level of perceived corruption in the country collated by the Berlin-based organisation has increased.
The score is based on perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country analysts.
TEN MOST CORRUPT STATES
Somalia
Burma
Iraq
Haiti
Afghanistan
Sudan
Guinea
Chad
Equatorial Guinea
DR Congo
TEN LEAST CORRUPT STATES
Denmark
Sweden
New Zealand
Singapore
Finland
Switzerland
Iceland
Netherlands
Australia
Canada
Iraq has been ranked by Transparency International(TI) as one of the world's most... more
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The bodies of 13 African migrants have been found in a boat off Spain's Canary Islands, local officials said.
Coast guards spotted the boat, also with 46 survivors on board, about 2km (1.2 miles) off Gran Canaria and escorted it to Puerto de Arguineguin.
In a separate incident, 85 migrants were rescued from a rubber dinghy about 160km south of Malta.
The migrants told their Maltese rescuers that five people had died on the journey and been put overboard.
Switch to dinghies
Spain's interior ministry said some of the migrants who arrived off Gran Canaria told police they had left the west African state of Guinea more than a week ago.
The Spanish Red Cross said it appeared that the fishing boat had lost its way several times and suffered engine problems.
The 13 victims probably died from hypothermia, the Red Cross spokesman said.
Two of the migrants were taken to hospital. The survivors included two women.
Every year thousands of Africans attempt treacherous journeys to the Canary Islands in overcrowded boats.
However, many are now being turned back following increased surveillance of African coastal waters by local and European vessels.
In the second incident, the Maltese army said it had received an alert about the rubber dinghy and diverted a tanker to go to its assistance.
The tanker crew gave the migrants water and food and transferred them to a Maltese army patrol boat.
The 85 migrants included 13 women and a nine-month-old baby.
Observers say illegal migrants from Libya are now using large rubber dinghies able to take up to 80 people, rather than small fibreglass boats with a capacity of 20 people. The bodies of 13 African migrants have been found in a boat off Spain's Canary... more
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British mercenary Simon Mann has been jailed for 34 years for his part in plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea.
The former British military officer confessed to trying to topple long-time ruler Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo - but denied being the plot's leader.
The goal of the plot was to install exiled opposition leader Severo Moto who is currently in Spain awaiting trial on charges of arms trafficking, and to gain access to the former Spanish colony's oil wealth.
British mercenary Simon Mann has been jailed for 34 years for his part in plotting a... more
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Former British soldier Simon Mann is waiting to hear the verdict in his trial in Equatorial Guinea for a 2004 coup plot, which ended on Friday.
Mr Mann, who potentially faces 30 years in prison, has admitted guilt but has tried to convince the court that he was not the most senior coup plotter.
The former SAS officer was held four years ago with 64 others in Zimbabwe. He served four years in prison there for trying to purchase weapons without a licence before being extradited.
The trial was held at a conference centre in the capital, Malabo, amid heavy security.
It was not immediately clear when the verdict would be issued.
Click on the image or go to the link for video.Former British soldier Simon Mann is waiting to hear the verdict in his trial in... more
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Spain and South Africa both "gave the green light" for a failed coup in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, a British mercenary has told a court in Malabo. Simon Mann said it felt as though the coup attempt was an official operation.
He also said that Sir Mark Thatcher, son of UK former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was one of the plot's organizers.
But Mann said London-based millionaire Eli Calil was "the boss". He and Sir Mark have both denied plotting a coup.
Sir Mark was fined in 2005 and received a suspended sentence in South Africa for unknowingly helping to finance it. But Mann said Sir Mark was part of the "management team... not just an investor".
Mann was speaking on the second day of his trial, in which Equatorial Guinea prosecutors have called for him to serve 30 years in jail. Mann, an ex-SAS officer, was arrested four years ago with 64 others in Zimbabwe.
He served four years in prison there for trying to purchase weapons without a licence before being extradited to Equatorial Guinea earlier this year.
Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich former Spanish colony, has been ruled by Teodoro Obiang since he seized power from his uncle in 1979. Spain and South Africa both "gave the green light" for a failed coup in... more
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Local fishermen and marketgoers struggle to make ends meet, while export companies make huge profits channeling the best fish to Europe and Asia,Local fishermen and marketgoers struggle to make ends meet, while export companies... more
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4 years ago
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A cut-down of the feature length documentary film, "Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars" tells the remarkable and ultimately life-affirming story of Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, a group of six Sierra Leonean musicians who come together to form a band while living as refugees in the Republic of Guinea.A cut-down of the feature length documentary film, "Sierra Leone's Refugee... more
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The streets of New York City have certainly witnessed its share of acts of civil disobedience, violence and rebellion. Dating back as far as the Draft Riots of 1863, very often, the disenfranchised would take to the streets when opposing the governments unfair policies and practices. Eight years ago when an unarmed African immigrant by the name of Amadou Diallo was shot at 41 times (hit 19 times) by 4 New York City Police Officers, the people took to the streets charging the NYPD with police brutality. Over the next two years that followed, a series of marches and protests was set into motion that would forever change the lives of New Yorkers. At its conceptual root, spearheaded by Rev Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, was the march for justice for Diallo. However, in the midst of the struggles a new breed of protestor began to emerge. Along the side of the activist stood politicians, students and professors, unions and laborers. The shout of No Justice - No Peace! What do we want? JUSTICE! Now became What do we want??BOOKS! HOUSING! JOBS! Diallos death became a symbol for justice on all fronts. 360 Media recounts this bitter and yet compelling part of New York City history in the upcoming documentary entitled 365 Days of Marching The Amadou Diallo Story DIRECTED, WRITTEN & PRODUCED by Veronica Keitt CO-PRODUCED BY Michael Drake, Ozzie Thompson, Nat Woods, Darryl Stith SPECIAL APPEARANCES by Rev Al Sharpton, Seiko & Kadiatou Diallo, the parents of Amadou Diallo, David N. Dinkins, former NYC Mayor, Charles Rangel, US Congressmen, Rev. Jessie Jackson, Charles Barron, Councilman, Norman Siegel, ACLU Community Leaders, Activists and others ...
http://www.365daysofmarchingmovie.com
http://365daysofmarching.wordpress.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU184BYpijE
http://www.myspace.com/365daysofmarching
The streets of New York City have certainly witnessed its share of acts of civil... more
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