Kumba Yala supports formation of new government

Ousted president Kumba Yala urged the people of Guinea Bissau on Wednesday to support the formation of a government of national unity that would lead the small West African country to fresh elections "within a reasonable period." Speaking three days after he was removed from office by a bloodless coup, Kumba Yala submitted his resignation as head of state to add a veneer of constitutional legality to the fait accompli of his involuntary removal from office. His pre-recorded speech was broadcast on local radio and television stations after it had been scrutinised and approved by General Verissimo Correia Seabra, the head of the armed forces, who seized power on Sunday. Earlier in the day, a crowd of several thousand people marched through the streets of the capital Bissau in support of the military takeover. Kumba Yala, who was constantly hampered by a shortage of money to pay soldiers and civil servants, appealed to the international community to be generous in helping Guinea-Bissau get back on the path to democratic government. His speech was broadcast following 48 hours of intensive talks between the ousted president, Correia Seabra and a delegation of ministers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The ministers from Ghana, Senegal, Guinea-Conakry, Nigeria, Gambia and Cape Verde were despatched to the former Portuguese colony of 1.3 million people to try and persuade the military to return to their barracks and leave civilians to run the government. But there was nothing in Kumba Yala's speech to suggest that the ECOWAS mission had persuaded Correia Seabra and his 32-man military junta to quit power or set a firm date for elections. They have however invited an ad-hoc commission of political leaders and military officers, chaired by Dom Jose Camnate Bissing, the Roman Catholic bishop of Bissau, to appoint a civilian-led transitional government within the next day or two. Kumba Yala, who dissolved parliament in November last year and had postponed four times the holding of fresh legislative elections, admitted "the extreme gravity of the present situation," He added that he was prepared to renounce power to help resolve the political crisis in order achieve "a peaceful and fraternal resolution of our national problems." "I accept the naming of a civilian government of national unity and transition, led by a Guinean personality who commands a national consensus and known for his patriotism, competence and integrity," he said. Kumba Yala, who was elected with 72 percent of the vote in what was generally held to be free and fair elections three years ago, said "General elections - presidential and legislative - should be held in a reasonable period of time in accordance with an electoral calendar agreed by consensus." He urged the international community to "support unreservedly the government of national unity and transition, providing it with the material and financial assistance necessary to safeguard legality and allow the fulfilment of the electoral process." Finally Kumba Yala thanked the armed forces for avoiding bloodshed. But he added: "I urge them to go back to their barracks." A senior ECOWAS source told IRIN that Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal were expected to visit Guinea-Bissau on Thursday for talks with Correia Seabra on a rapid return to constitutional normality