Tension in Bissau

The situation was tense in Bissau on Thursday following clashes between forces loyal to the government and supporters of former military ruler General Ansumane Mane. Mane sparked a crisis this week when he revoked military promotions made by President Kumba Yala, announced that he had dismissed armed forces chief of staff Maj-Gen Verissimo Correia Seabra and proclaimed himself supreme chief of the armed forces. Mane placed Seabra and other senior officials under house arrest on Monday but the chief of staff was able to break out two days later. The UN Security Council said on Tuesday that it would hold Mane responsible if his action led to further unrest and chaos. It urged him to start dialogue with the government on the basis of the country’s constitutional order. Portuguese radio reported on Thursday afternoon that forces loyal to the government had called on civilians to abandon the area between the “frontline” and Bissalanca air base, where Mane has his headquarters. National radio repeatedly broadcast a message from the loyalist forces to all its operational units to move rapidly to the “designated target”. This could be seen as an order to take up military positions and attack, RDP said. It said diplomatic negotiations were under way to try to prevent fighting. [See also separate item titled ‘GUINEA-BISSAU: Focus on new source of instability’]